US09679069B2

Systems and methods are provided for identifying and recommending electronic content to consumers. In accordance with an implementation, one or more elements of electronic content are identified based on video graph data. In an exemplary method, information associated with a first element of video content is received, and corresponding video graph data is obtained. One or more second elements of video content that are similar to the first element of video content are identified based on the obtained video graph data. A subset the first and second elements of video content is subsequently identified for delivery to the user.
US09679068B2

A system automatically and continuously finds and aggregates the most relevant and current information about the people and things that a user cares about. The information gathering is based on current context (e.g., where the user is, what the user is doing, what the user is saying/typing, etc.). The result of the context based information gathering is presented ubiquitously on user interfaces of any of the various physical devices operated by the user.
US09679066B2

A computer performs a search and generates a context-aware search result. The computer crawls a plurality of servers to fetch a plurality of knowledge documents, parses the plurality of knowledge documents, and indexes the plurality of parsed knowledge documents in a search index. Parsing can include annotating at least one of the plurality of knowledge documents, and indexing can include building a term index and an annotation index. The computer receives from a requestor a search request including a search term, and requests and receives a context of an asset environment associated with the requestor. The computer determines a context-aware search result based, at least in part, on the search term, on the context, and on information stored in the search index, and transmits the context-aware search result to the requestor.
US09679052B2

Provided is a portable electronic device including a signal processing unit, a controller that supplies a control signal to the signal processing unit, and a power generation unit that generates an electrical signal as power and supplies the generated electrical signal to the signal processing unit.
US09679051B2

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward evaluating an answer sequence. Aspects are directed toward receiving a set of answer sequences including a first answer sequence. The first answer sequence may have a first set of answers. Aspects are also directed toward identifying a set of scores coupled with the first set of answers. Aspects are also directed toward determining, based on a subject matter corresponding to the first answer sequence, a set of evaluation rules. Aspects are also directed toward generating, based on the set of scores and the set of evaluation rules, a sequence evaluation score for the first answer sequence.
US09679046B2

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided that enable the identification of predatory behavior in communications systems. A plurality of textual messages of a message repository is queried with a plurality of sets of key phrases to determine and score textual messages that include one or more of the key phrases of the sets. Each scored textual message includes a suspect, a potential victim, and a score. Each suspect-to-potential victim pair corresponds to a conversation that includes the scored textual messages between the suspect and potential victim of the pair. A plurality of conversation risk scores is determined based at least on the scored textual messages. Each conversation risk score indicates an estimate of a risk of predatory behavior occurring during the corresponding conversation.
US09679044B2

Users of a social networking system are assigned to households using prediction models that rely, in part, on user profile information and social graph data. Information about users may be received by a social networking system through various channels (e.g., declared/profile information, user history, IP addresses, Global Positioning System (GPS) data from check-in events and/or continuously provided by mobile devices, external household information, and/or social information). Scoring models may use statistical analysis of the received user information to predict household membership for users. User attributes, such as previous names, date of birth, social graph data, locations, life events, and check-ins, may be factors in generating confidence scores of predicted household memberships. Weighted scoring models may use machine learning methods for measuring the accuracy of the household membership prediction. The social networking system may use a machine learning algorithm to analyze user information to determine confidence scores for matching potential households.
US09679037B2

A reverse engineering database replication data system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the replication data system receives an input of replication configuration data for a plurality of databases and builds memory models based on metadata accessed from the plurality of databases, which are then transformed to a first platform-specific replication model. Then, based on the first platform-specific replication model, a first universal replication model is configured, which is used to create a replication visual model using the rendering canvas. A user may modify the first universal replication model using the replication visual model to create a second universal replication model, which is then transformed to a second platform-specific replication model. Finally, scripts are generated for the second platform-specific replication model, which are then provided to a memory device.
US09679036B2

An example method of pattern mining includes identifying, via a logic circuit, a plurality of patterns present in a plurality of transactions, the transactions including sets of items, and selecting, via the logic circuit, one of the identified patterns based on an occupancy of the identified pattern in the transactions.
US09679031B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a database administrator composing an abstract query with visibility to logical fields that are permitted for the delegated roles. In one embodiment, a query interface is configured to receive administrator selections of delegated roles (i.e., the user roles to be provided with access to the finished abstract query). The query interface may then present the administrator with logical fields that are permitted for each delegated role. Providing such information may enable the administrator to verify that all intended users will have access to the finished abstract query.
US09679028B1

Systems and methods are provided for data driven predictive analysis of complex data sets for determining decision outcomes. The systems and methods include obtaining a first set of data associated with individuals and obtaining, a second set of data associated with events, wherein the events are associated with at least one of the individuals. The systems and methods further include determining a subset of the individuals from the first set of data based on the first subset of individuals having common attributes with a target individual and determining a second subset of events from the second set of data based on the second subset of events having common attributes with the target events associated with the target individual. Additionally, the systems and methods include aggregating data associated with the second subset of events based on the target events and providing for display output associated with aggregated data.
US09679022B2

A node information storage unit stores an entry in which an address and a record type are associated with a host name. An address translating unit translates an address of a record type different from a record type received from a terminal device in the entry into an address of the received record type based on a predetermined rule. An entry searching unit searches the node information storage unit, and specifies an entry corresponding to a host name received from the terminal device. A search result transmitting unit transmits an address included in the specified entry to the terminal device.
US09679018B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for document ranking. One of the methods includes receiving a request for one or more documents, obtaining a set of documents responsive to the request, and obtaining, from a user profile associated with a source of the request, representations of one or more topics of interest to a user. The method also includes selecting, from the set of documents, at least one document associated with a particular topic that matches at least one of the one or more topics of interest to the user, for the at least one selected document, obtaining a value corresponding to an inverse document frequency of documents associated with the particular topic in a corpus of documents, and generating a score for the at least one document based at least in part on the value corresponding to the inverse document frequency.
US09679014B2

A data sharing space (DSS) is generated for a base table having a set of rows with stored data. Requests are received to generate tables, each request including a query to the base table. A row from the set of rows is then accessed. The query is then applied to the row to generate results. An index value is then determined and a portion of the row is stored in the DSS based on the index value.
US09679011B2

A usage model and the underlying technology used to provide sequence analysis as part of a relational database system. Included components include the semantic and syntactic integration of the sequence analysis with an existing query language, the storage methods for the sequence data, and the design of a multipart execution scheme that runs the sequence analysis as part of a potentially larger database join, especially using parallel execution techniques.
US09679008B2

A computer-implemented data processing system and method includes storing a data set at a plurality of data centers. The data centers and hosts within the data centers may be organized according to a multi-tiered ring arrangement. A hashing arrangement may be used to implement the ring arrangement to select the data centers and hosts where the writing and reading of the data sets occurs. Version histories may also be written and read at the hosts and may be used to evaluate causal relationships between the data sets after the reading occurs.
US09679005B2

The invention relates to a client computer for querying a database stored on a server via a network, the server being coupled to the client computer via the network, wherein the database comprises first data items and suffix items, wherein each suffix item describes a suffix of at least one first data item of the first data items, wherein for each suffix item a first referential connection exists in the database assigning said suffix item to the at least one first data item comprising the suffix of said suffix item, wherein each suffix item is encrypted with a suffix cryptographic key in the database, wherein each first data item is encrypted with a first cryptographic key in the database, wherein the client computer has installed thereon an application program, the application program being operational to: receiving a search request, the search request specifying an infix search expression, said expression comprising a first wildcard term on the left side of a search criterion and a second wildcard term on the right side of the search criterion, transforming the infix search expression into a prefix search expression by disregarding in the search request the first wildcard term and maintaining the search criterion and the second wildcard term, determine a search interval by transforming the prefix search into a corresponding search interval, performing a prefix search by determining all the encrypted suffix items lying within the search interval, providing to the database a request for providing the one or more encrypted first data items being assigned via the first referential connection to the determined encrypted suffix items, receiving from the database the requested encrypted first data items and decrypting said received first data items.
US09678999B1

Based on a request, a processor may identify a multi-dimensional dataset stored in the at least one of a plurality of data tables and identify each dimension of the multi-dimensional dataset. For each respective identified dimension, the processor may sort the identified dataset on values of the respective identified dimension, partition the sorted dataset into a predetermined number of intervals associated with the respective identified dimension, determine a number of rows for each interval and select a lower boundary value and an upper boundary value for each interval. The upper boundary value may be the highest value in each interval. The lower boundary value for an interval having lowest sorted values may be the lowest value in the interval or the upper boundary value of an interval having immediately preceding partitioned values. The processor may further store the boundary values and rows for each interval of each identified dimension as the histogram. A method and computer-readable medium are also disclosed.
US09678993B2

A context based tag recommendation system for annotating stock photography media files, the system configured to: maintain a first database comprising a set of media files and a set of annotations associated with the media file set, maintain a second database comprising a second set of records, each record comprising an annotation, at least one co-occurring annotation, and a count, receive at least one media file tag input (input), query the second database using the input to identify a ranked set of co-occurring annotations and a count associated with each annotation in the ranked set of co-occurring annotations, query the first database to identify a selected set of similar media files, by iteratively retrieving image files associated a selective group of annotations from the ranked set of co-occurring annotations, present a list of recommended annotations based on the ranked set of co-occurring annotations and the selected set of similar media files.
US09678989B2

An index is provided that holds information about each image content item in a collection of items, For each image content item, a first information item identifying the image content item and its location on a network, and at least one of (i) a second information item identifying a signature value of an object in the image content, or (ii) identification of a recognized object in the image content.
US09678988B2

An image processing apparatus receives an input specifying a target in a first captured image group that is obtained by slicing a three-dimensional body into captured images at a first point in time, extracts feature points surrounding the specified target from the captured images of the first captured image group, specifies slice positions of each of the feature points that are extracted in captured images of a second captured image group that is obtained by slicing the three-dimensional body into the captured images at a second point in time, and outputs an image corresponding to a slice position range specified based on the specified slice positions of each of the extracted feature points, and corresponding to a range on a first plane specified based on positions of each of the extracted feature points on a second plane.
US09678979B1

Systems and methods are described for backing up files and directories using a common backup format. The files and directories may be represented by objects within a data stream constructed using the common backup format. The data streams may be traversed and updated using a size tree such that modifications are made to individual objects within the data streams without complete traversal. This process results in efficient management of storage systems as read and write operations are not dependent on exhaustive traversal of data streams.
US09678978B2

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for automatic synchronization of recently modified data between a plurality of devices. A device may identify newly utilized files stored on the device, and a synchronization engine may synchronize these files to one or more additional devices. The synchronization engine may record a storage location of the files on the first device, and may transmit the files for storage in a hidden directory on the other devices. After modification, a file may be synchronized back to the initial device. The synchronization engine on the initial device may retrieve the storage location of the modified file, and may replace the previous version of the file with the newly received modified file, in the original storage location. The user may view and edit recently utilized files on any device, while maintaining their original storage locations on each device and without having to manually manage files.
US09678972B2

Deduplicated data is packed in a self-contained deduplicated repository having unique data blocks with each being referenced by a globally unique identifier (GUID). The self-contained deduplicated repository has information regarding both deduplicated data files and the unique data blocks of each of the deduplicated data files and a master GUID list containing a location of each of the unique data blocks.
US09678966B2

Exemplary embodiments provide access to an updated file performed by a computer having at least one processor, wherein responsive to an application receiving an update comprising modified content of an old file, a new file is created into which the modified content is copied, while access to the old file is maintained, wherein old file logical block addresses (LBAs) are mapped to old file physical block addresses (PBAs), and new file LBAs are mapped to new file PBAs, the method, comprising: atomically swapping the mapping of the old file LBAs from the old file PBAs to the new file PBAs; trimming the mapping of the old file LBAs to the old file PBAs; and clearing the mapping of the new file LBAs to the new file PBAs.
US09678959B2

The present invention pertains to a method for selecting a version of a document. The user inputs an identifier of a document at the level of his receiver connected to at least one communication network, and initiates a search request to receive versions of at least one part of this document. The receiver then receives a plurality of versions of the said document. Each version received is analysed by a plurality of evaluation modules so as to calculate an evaluation value for each version received according to a predetermined criterion. The receiver selects for each of the evaluation modules a version of the document having the best evaluation in respect of this criterion, and displays the identifiers of versions having the best evaluations according to each criterion. The user can then easily select the version for reproduction thereof which best meets a criterion. The invention also relates to a receiver implementing the said method.
US09678957B2

Systems and methods for classifying electronic information or documents into a number of classes and subclasses are provided through an active learning algorithm. In certain embodiments, seed sets may be eliminated by merging relevance feedback and machine learning phases. In certain embodiments, the active learning algorithm forks a number of classification paths corresponding to predicted user coding decisions for a selected document. The active learning algorithm determines an order in which the documents of the collection may be processed and scored by the forked classification paths. Such document classification systems are easily scalable for large document collections, require less manpower and can be employed on a single computer, thus requiring fewer resources. Furthermore, the classification systems and methods described can be used for any pattern recognition or classification effort in a wide variety of fields.
US09678954B1

Computer-implemented techniques can include capturing, by a microphone associated with a computing device having one or more processors, a speech input from a user, the speech input comprising a single word in a source language, and in response to receiving the speech input from the user, performing a plurality of actions. The plurality of actions can include identifying, by the computing device, the source language of the single word and a target language that is associated with the user, obtaining, by the computing device, one or more translated words that are each a potential translation of the single word to the target language, obtaining, by the computing device, lexicon data for the one or more translated words, the lexicon data relating to at least one semantic meaning of the one or more translated words, and displaying, by the computing device, the lexicon data.
US09678950B2

System and method for enabling communication between a Rich Communication Service System and a non-Rich Communication Service system. Embodiments of the present invention disclose a translation feature to enhance the communication experience between users of RCS and non-RCS systems by enabling users to communicate in their preferred language with the RCS taking care of language translation.
US09678934B2

A control section of an image forming apparatus includes a pinch-in detection section, a copy processing section, a pinch-out detection section, and a paste processing section. The pinch-in detection section detects a pinch-in operation performed on an object displayed on a touch panel. When the pinch-in operation is detected, the copy processing section copies the object or a character string included in the object. The pinch-out detection section detects a pinch-out operation performed on the touch panel. When the pinch-out operation is detected, the paste processing section pastes the object or the character string included in the object at a position at which the pinch-out operation is detected.
US09678931B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an intuitive method for the specification of a design as follows. A widget is added to the design at the direction of a user. The widget has an event and an event handler. A second widget is added to the design. The design is exported from a design program and an instantiation of the design is created that is capable of being rendered by an external player. Executing the event handler adds a second event handler to a second widget in the instantiation of the design.
US09678927B2

A datacenter management server includes a datacenter operations manager and a datacenter infrastructure manager with an infrastructure viewer and an asset deployment tool. The datacenter operations manager compiles datacenter hierarchy information for a datacenter, including identity information for a virtualized environment and identity information for a virtualization capable system. The virtualization capable system is deployed as a stand-alone system of the datacenter. The datacenter infrastructure manager receives the datacenter hierarchy information, directs the infrastructure viewer to display a hierarchical overview of the datacenter, including depictions of the virtualized environment and the virtualization capable system. The hierarchical overview is based on the identity information. The datacenter infrastructure manager also receives a selection of the depictions from a user and directs the asset deployment tool to deploy the virtualization capable system to the virtualized environment.
US09678922B2

A reduction in network load as well as an increase in speed of response through caching and an increase in communication efficiency through buffering are both achieved. A data storage control system that temporarily stores and controls data exchanged between a user terminal 1 and an online storage device 3 includes a storage unit 24 that temporarily stores receive data read from the online storage device 3 by the user terminal 1 and transmit data to be written in the online storage device 3 by the user terminal 1, and a data transmission unit 12 and a data control unit 23 that cause new storage of the transmit data in the storage unit 24 to wait in a case where a volume of the transmit data stored in the storage unit 24 is greater than a threshold value and/or in a case where an elapsed time from a last access to the receive data that is planned to be deleted next time among the receive data stored in the storage unit 24 is shorter than a threshold value.
US09678921B2

A method and system for monitoring data transfers over a one-way data link from a send node to a receive node. A send log file monitoring and transmitting module associated with the send node on a first server outputs a send log file containing information about data sent by the send node. A receive log file monitoring and transmitting module associated with the receive node on a second server outputs a receive log file containing information about data received by the receive node. A reconciliation module on a third server receives the send log file and the receive log file and identifies any data transfer errors by comparing the send log file with the receive log file. A web server is coupled to the reconciliation module to provide user access to the identified data transfer errors.
US09678918B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a data processing system and a data processing method. An MMIO address of a data request is obtained, where data stored in a PCIe storage device can be directly obtained from the MMIO address, and according to the MMIO address, a network adapter can directly read the data from the PCIe storage device of the data processing system, and transmit the data to a second data processing system, or directly write the data received from the second data processing system into the PCIe storage device. Therefore, the processing system can implement transmitting data directly from the PCIe storage device to the network adapter without using memory. During data transmission between the two data processing systems, a usage ratio of a resource, such as memory and a CPU, is reduced, and efficiency of data transmission is improved.
US09678908B2

Disclosed is a method for automatically setting ID in UART ring communication in which a master and a plurality of slaves are formed in a ring-type network, the method including initializing the master to output a master ID (initializing step), receiving, by the plurality of slaves, the master ID, setting its own IDs by adding the master ID to a reference value and outputting the set ID (slave ID setting step), changing, by the plurality of slaves, its own IDs based on whether its own ID is same as the received ID, receiving, by the master, the IDs outputted by the plurality of slaves, and changing a currently highest value of slave IDs stored in the master in response to values of received slave IDs (changing step), and finishing the ID setting or re-setting the slave IDs, in response to the Current Max Slave ID (finish determining step).
US09678895B2

Embodiments of techniques and systems associated with roots-of-trust (RTMs) for measurement of virtual machines (VMs) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a computing platform may provide a virtual machine RTM (vRTM) in a first secure enclave of the computing platform. The computing platform may be configured to perform an integrity measurement of the first secure enclave. The computing platform may provide a virtual machine trusted platform module (vTPM), for a guest VM, outside the first secure enclave of the computing platform. The computing platform may initiate a chain of integrity measurements between the vRTM and a resource of the guest VM. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09678894B2

Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for receiving an incoming request to access a memory region protected by counter mode encryption and a counter tree structure having a plurality of levels. Additionally, the incoming request may be accepted and a determination may be made as to whether to suspend the incoming request on a per-level basis with respect to the counter tree structure.
US09678890B2

A processor including logic to execute an instruction to synchronize a mapping from a physical address of a guest of a virtualization based system (guest physical address) to a physical address of the host of the virtualization based system (host physical address), and stored in a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), with a corresponding mapping stored in an extended paging table (EPT) of the virtualization based system.
US09678888B2

A page compression strategy classifies uncompressed pages selected for compression. Similarly classified pages are compressed and bound into a single logical page. For logical pages having pages with more than one classification, a weighting factor is determined for the logical page.
US09678881B2

A data distribution device includes: a memory configured to store cache data of data to be distributed; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: read the cache data from the memory in accordance with a request message received from other devices to distribute the cache data to the other devices, update, when the request message is received, a counter value that gets closer to a given value with time, so as to make the counter value move away from the given value in accordance with a reference value that is a reciprocal of a threshold value of a reception rate of the request message, whether or not to store the cache data being determined based on the reception rate; and discard the cache data in the memory when the counter value becomes the given value.
US09678878B2

Methods and apparatus relating to disabling one or more cache portions during low voltage operations are described. In some embodiments, one or more extra bits may be used for a portion of a cache that indicate whether the portion of the cache is capable at operating at or below Vccmin levels. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09678874B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing eviction of data. A cache write module stores data on a non-volatile storage device sequentially using a log-based storage structure having a head region and a tail region. A direct cache module caches data on the non-volatile storage device using the log-based storage structure. The data is associated with storage operations between a host and a backing store storage device. An eviction module evicts data of at least one region in succession from the log-based storage structure starting with the tail region and progressing toward the head region.
US09678872B2

A method and apparatus for memory paging is disclosed. A system includes a plurality of processor cores each configured to initiate requests to a memory by providing a physical address without a virtual address. A first cache subsystem is shared by each of a first subset of the plurality of processor cores. Responsive to receiving a memory access request from a processor core of the first subset, the first cache subsystem determines if a physical address of the request is in a first paged region of memory with respect to the first subset. If the physical address is in the paged region, the cache subsystem is configured to access a set of page attributes for a page corresponding to the physical address from a page attribute table responsive that is shared by each of the first subset of the plurality of processor cores.
US09678869B1

Described are techniques for processing I/O operations. A read operation is received to read first data from a first location. It is determined whether the read operation is a read miss and whether non-location metadata for the first location is stored in cache. Responsive to determining that the read operation is a read miss and that the non-location metadata for the first location is not stored in cache, first processing is performed that includes issuing concurrently a first read request to read the first data from physical storage and a second read request to read the non-location metadata for the first location from physical storage.
US09678865B1

Examples of techniques for pre-allocating save areas of memory of a computer processing system are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method may include initiating, by a host processing device, a control program. The method may further include, responsive to initiating the control program, pre-allocating, by the host processing device, a plurality of save areas for each of a plurality of processors, wherein the plurality of save areas are anchored in a fixed area of the memory for each of the plurality of processors.
US09678860B2

A computing system can include memory management capabilities. In one embodiment, the system receives a request to update a first size of each of a plurality of portions of memory to a second size. The plurality of portions of memory can be associated with a first memory pool and the first memory pool can be associated with a memory pool instance. The system creates a memory pool subinstance based on the request. The memory pool subinstance can be associated with the memory pool instance. The system associates a second memory pool with the memory pool subinstance. The second memory pool comprises portions of memory of the second size and the second memory pool is associated with the memory pool instance.
US09678857B1

A method for listing optimal machine instances in a computing environment based on user context is provided. The method includes receiving a task request based on a first task to be performed within the computing environment, identifying one or more similar tasks by comparing metadata for the first task to metadata for a plurality of other tasks based on a classification analysis, selecting the one or more similar tasks based on a result from the classification analysis exceeding a predetermined confidence level, and generating a list of one or more previous machine instances corresponding to the one or more similar tasks. The list of previous machine instances is associated with instructions to commence the previous machine instances. The plurality of other tasks include previous tasks performed within the computing environment on corresponding previous machine instances. The machine instances may include a virtual machine (VM) instance or a physical machine instance.
US09678854B2

To identify a source of a memory leak in an application, a pattern of objects is identified in an object hierarchy of a heap dump, the pattern including an indication of the memory leak. The pattern is matched with a metadata of the application. A static entry in the metadata describes a relationship between a component of the application and an object of a class used in the component. A flow entry in the metadata describes a relationship between a pattern of instantiation of a set of objects corresponding to a set of classes and an operation performed using the application. When the pattern matches the flow entry in the flow section of the metadata, a conclusion is drawn that the memory leak is caused in the operation identified in the flow entry. A portion of a code that participates in the operation is selected for modification.
US09678851B2

A set of entry blocks is allocated. An entry block is configured with a set of monitoring attributes to store monitoring data corresponding to a monitoring request. The entry block is updated with an identifier supplied in the monitoring request. The entry block is used to store the monitoring data responsive to the monitoring request. The monitoring data comprises a continuous record of data changes at a requested location in memory from a beginning to an end a of an event corresponding to the monitoring request. A size of the monitoring data is distinct from another size of another monitoring data stored in another entry block in the set of entry blocks responsive to another monitoring request. An operation specified in the monitoring request is performed on a part of the monitoring data accessible from a monitoring attribute in the set of monitoring attributes of the entry block.
US09678850B1

A method and system for data pipeline monitoring receives an event data object and a current status data object from one or more subsystems of a pipeline. The system analyzes the event data object and the current status data object to determine a first and second validation value. The system, in response to determining that either the first or second validation value is not valid, sends a notification.
US09678849B2

A processing method includes: collecting processing information indicating a processing state of an application executed by an information processing device and operational information indicating operational states of processing elements that are identified on the basis of configuration information stored in a storage unit and are involved in the execution of the application; determining whether or not there is a correlation between the processing state and an operational state of each of the processing elements on the basis of the processing information and the operational information when a delay of a process of the application is detected on the basis of the processing information; and extracting, from among the processing elements, a processing element of which an operational state has a correlation with the processing state on the basis of the determination.
US09678845B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an abnormality diagnostic system that can enhance diagnostic precision even if a computer arranged on the machine side does not have sufficient throughput in diagnosing a condition of a machine or equipment based upon time series data generated by a sensor and can reduce communication capacity because communication data volume decreases and industrial machinery provided with the abnormality diagnostic system. A diagnostic device on the machine side 2 diagnoses time series data generated by a sensor, acquires a primary diagnostic result, extracts time series data related to the primary diagnostic result and outputs it to a diagnostic device on the server side 3 together with the primary diagnostic result, the diagnostic device on the server side 3 diagnoses the time series data, acquires a secondary diagnostic result, and displays the secondary diagnostic result together with the primary diagnostic result. Besides, the diagnostic device on the server side compares the diagnostic results and updates a diagnostic process of the diagnostic device on the machine side 2 when the diagnostic results are different as a result of the comparison.
US09678840B2

According to one aspect, a control entity (such as a policy server) in communication with a plurality of border routers in a network, generates failover entries for one or more traffic flows. Each failover entry specifies a backup path to be used by a border router when the border router determines that a wide area network interface of the border router has failed. The control entity sends the failover entries to each of the border routers. A border router operating in a network stores failover entries for one or more traffic flows. For packets received at the border router either from a local area network interface or via a tunnel from another border router, when the border router detects that the wide area network interface has failed, the border router determines how to handle the packets based on the stored failover entries.
US09678838B2

Systems and techniques are described for protecting virtual machines from network failures. A described technique includes running a virtual machine on a first source host; replicating, over a first network, data related to the virtual machine to a destination host; determining that the destination host has become unreachable, over the first network, from the first source host; determining whether a second source host can reach the destination host over the first network or a second network; determining whether the virtual machine can run on the second source host; and running the virtual machine on the second source host.
US09678835B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for managing data within a plurality of data management architectures comprises at least one processor. The system persists an entity managed by a first data management architecture to a second data management architecture. The first data management architecture manages entity data within one or more data sources, while the second data management architecture manages persisted entities with data from the one or more data sources within a common repository. A modification to data of the persisted entity is detected within the one or more data sources, and the modified data is synchronized with the persisted entity in the repository of the second data management architecture. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for managing data within a plurality of data management architectures in substantially the same manner described above.
US09678829B2

An erasing method of a memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory controller and a memory array having a first memory region and a second memory region. The first memory region and the second memory region share the same well. The erasing method comprising steps of: erasing the first memory region; and selectively programming the second memory region according to an error correction code algorithm.
US09678817B1

A method for improving a global lifespan of a storage system of a computing system is provided. The method includes: providing a prediction engine associated with the storage system including at least one storage device, the prediction engine being initiated at an installation time of the at least one storage device; automatically determining lifespan values of the at least one storage device to assign the global lifespan of the storage system, the global lifespan being dependent on the installation time of the at least one storage device; replacing, responsive to a time-based failure event, a storage device of the at least one storage device; and subsequently monitoring, using the prediction engine, the global lifespan of the storage system based on the time-based failure event to define, at least in part, an optimized lifespan of the storage system.
US09678816B2

Probes are employed to inject errors into code. In response to a function-entry trigger event, a probe writes a predefined test value to a return value register. The probe then cause function execution to be skipped such that the test value is returned in lieu of the value which would otherwise be returned by the function. Behavior after the error is injected may then be observed, data collected, etc. such that undesired behavior (e.g., crashes) can be identified and/or corrected. In an alternative embodiment, the probe which is triggered may write a test value to a given memory address.
US09678805B2

A method and system for deploying a component of a composite application in a data center. An example method includes receiving access data from a traffic manager implementing global load balancing, where the access data is related to client accesses to a composite web application including multiple components hosted by virtual machines in a virtualization infrastructure. The method further includes determining, based on the access data, determining that one of the components of the composite web application receives client accesses that exceed a threshold, identifying a new geographic location for the client accesses that exceed the threshold, instructing the virtualization infrastructure to deploy a new virtual machine at the new geographic location, the deployed virtual machine implementing the determined component of the composite web application, and providing information pertaining to the deployed virtual machine to the traffic manager.
US09678804B1

A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing data. In some embodiments, this includes detecting a job event on an interface, adjusting a counter associated with the interface based on the detected job event, and redistributing a job based on the counter adjustment. In some embodiments, the job event may include a job start. In some embodiments, the job event may include a job completion. In some embodiments, adjusting the counter may include incrementing the counter. In some embodiments, adjusting the counter may include decrementing the counter.
US09678792B2

Sharing resources in a docked mobile environment comprises maintaining a set of execution tasks within a first data handling system having a system dock interface to physically couple to a second data handling system and assigning a task to be executed by the second data handling system while the two systems are physically coupled. The described method further comprises detecting a physical decoupling of the first and second data handling systems and displaying an execution result of the task via a first display element of the first data handling system in response to such a detection.
US09678790B2

A method and computing device, for enabling selective enforcement of complex task dependencies. The method and allows a computing device to determine whether to enforce task-dependencies based on programmer or end-user goals concerning efficiency and quality of runtime experience. A computing device may be configured to schedule executing a first task, identify an operation (e.g., a “+>” operation) of the first task as being selectively dependent on a second task finishing execution, and determining whether to enforce the dependency of the first task on the second task based on an evaluation of one or more enforcement conditions. If the enforcement conditions are not met, enforcing the dependency, executing the second task, and withholding execution of the first task until execution of the second task has finished. If the enforcement conditions are met, commencing execution of the first task prior to, or parallel to the second task finishing execution.
US09678788B2

Embodiments disclose techniques for enabling the use poll and select subroutines with coherent accelerator block or character devices. In one embodiment, an operating system receives, from an application, a system call to attach a hardware context with the coherent accelerator block or character device. The operating system generates a channel based on a file descriptor associated with the attach system call. The operating system associates the channel with a hardware context selected from a plurality of hardware contexts available to the coherent accelerator, wherein the hardware context is attached to the application. Upon receiving, from the application, a system call to check for exceptions that have occurred on the coherent accelerator block device or character device, the operating system returns an indication of any exceptions which have occurred while the coherent accelerator was using the hardware context to the application.
US09678785B1

A computer system may receive two or more messages. Each message may be sent by a user of one of a plurality of virtual machines that are executing on a host machine. Each message may request an adjustment of resource entitlements for the virtual machine. The computer system may aggregate the two or more messages. The computer system may determine whether a particular resource template type associated with at least one of the two or messages should be adjusted based on the aggregated messages.
US09678783B2

Temporal dynamic policies may be used to effectively alter the management of a virtual machine in a virtualized computing environment based upon some temporal condition such as how long a virtual machine has been active or idle, how long it has been since the virtual machine was created or deployed, etc. The altered management may be used, for example, to activate various performance and/or reliability-related technologies such as high availability and failover functionality for longer-running virtual machines.
US09678775B1

Computer code written to execute on a multi-threaded computing environment is transformed into code designed to execute on a single-threaded computing environment and simulate concurrent executing threads. Optimization techniques during the transformation process are utilized to identify local variables for scalar expansion. A first set of local variables is defined that includes those local variables in the code identified as “Downward exposed Defined” (DD). A second set of local variables is defined that includes those local variables in the code identified as “Upward exposed Use” (UU). The intersection of the first set and the second set identifies local variables for scalar expansion.
US09678774B2

Technologies are generally described for the secure live migration of virtual machines. The migration may take place in the context of, for example, public clouds. In various embodiments, by using a hidden process incorporated in a virtual machine's kernel and a trusted wireless and/or wired positioning service, a cloud provider and/or cloud user may be alerted about possible virtual machine hijacking/theft. The provider or user may also be provided with an approximate physical location of the platform running the compromised virtual machine for further investigation and enforcement measures.
US09678765B2

Methods and systems for extending functions of a JAVA application. The JAVA application may call a browser to obtain the global configuration file that is indicated by a URL and load configuration information of extensions of the JAVA application based on the global configuration file. In response to a user request received by the JAVA application, the JAVA application calls a browser and processes the user request based on the loaded configuration information of extensions of the JAVA application. In implementations, the JAVA application may transmit the user request to a server. After receiving a response to the user request from the server, the JAVA application may process the response to the user request based on the loaded configuration information of extensions of the JAVA application. The implementations may respond to the user request that is beyond the preset functions of the JAVA application.
US09678761B2

A memory medium includes one or more binary images and an update logic image. The memory medium selectively updates binary images having contiguous memory sectors erased before being rewritten. The update logic image includes instructions for determining whether an updating operation is to be performed and determining memory addresses of the memory medium at which a corresponding replacement image can be recorded. The instructions are also for erasing the determined memory addresses and writing the replacement image to the determined memory addresses.
US09678753B2

Method, apparatus, and program means for nonlinear filtering and deblocking applications utilizing SIMD sign and absolute value operations. The method of one embodiment comprises receiving first data for a first block and second data for a second block. The first data and said second data are comprised of a plurality of rows and columns of pixel data. A block boundary between the first block and the second block is characterized. A correction factor for a deblocking algorithm is calculated with a first instruction for a sign operation that multiplies and with a second instruction for an absolute value operation. Data for pixels located along said block boundary between the first and second block are corrected.
US09678735B2

Technology is disclosed herein for optimizing data caches among multiple interconnected computing devices. According to at least one embodiment, a storage server transfers a first data set to a computing device. The storage server then identifies a neighbor computing device sharing a local area network (LAN) with the computing device. The neighbor computing device maintains a network connection with the storage server. The storage server transmits a second data set relevant to the first data set to the neighbor computing device. In response to a read request for the second data set from the computing device, the storage server sends to the computing device an instruction indicating that the neighbor computing device is storing a data cache for the computing device.
US09678734B2

Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor upgrade availability for computer information on a user's computer and allows the user to determine which of the available upgrades will be downloaded to the user's computer and installed. The upgrade availability for computer information on the user's computer is monitored in the background, without user-intervention when the user connects to a network, such as the Internet. If any such upgrades are available, a flag is set to notify the user of such upgrades. The user is notified of any available upgrades when computer information is accessed for which an upgrade is available, and given a choice of whether or not to download the available upgrade(s). The downloaded upgrade(s) may then be installed by an installation means. In this manner, the present invention allows for the user to download only those upgrades desired by the user.
US09678727B1

A method and computer program product for building a multiple layer object-oriented software application with reusable components. The method includes creating business classes containing a business logic for the software application, wherein the business classes are organized into hierarchies identified as namespaces, and then generating executable programming code for the software application. From there, the method may include placing the executable programming code into an at least one assembly structure for an associated layer, wherein a security token is required to access the business classes, and wherein the business classes are created to validate each security token passed by a user interface.
US09678726B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for automatic generation of plugins for development tools. A platform-independent model is obtained for software functionality such as an application programming interface (API) to a software development kit (SDK). A platform-specific plugin is generated for a development environment based at least in part on the platform-independent model. The platform-specific plugin provides the software functionality for a particular platform of multiple platforms.
US09678721B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generated aggregated dependencies between software elements in a code base. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate implicit dependencies introduced by remote procedure calls in a project. A registration of a remote procedure call is identified, wherein the registration of the remote procedure call specifies a target function and a name for the remote procedure call. An invocation of the remote procedure call using the name for the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the invocation occurs in a source software element of the project. A definition of the target function of the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the target function is defined in a target software element of the project. A new dependency is generated, the new dependency being a dependency from the source software element to the target software element.
US09678720B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generated aggregated dependencies between software elements in a code base. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate implicit dependencies introduced by remote procedure calls in a project. A registration of a remote procedure call is identified, wherein the registration of the remote procedure call specifies a target function and a name for the remote procedure call. An invocation of the remote procedure call using the name for the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the invocation occurs in a source software element of the project. A definition of the target function of the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the target function is defined in a target software element of the project. A new dependency is generated, the new dependency being a dependency from the source software element to the target software element.
US09678708B2

An example playback device may store an active volume state variable in memory, where the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume. The playback device may also store a volume limit state variable in memory, where the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device. The playback device may detect a command to begin playback of media from a given source and then select a startup playback volume to be one of the current playback volume and the playback volume limit based on the given source of the command to begin playback. The playback device may then play back media at the startup playback volume.
US09678706B2

When recalling a preliminary stored scene including parameter values regarding a plurality of input/output ports respectively receiving or outputting an audio signal with respect to outside, a plurality of transmission/reception ports respectively transmitting or receiving an audio signal with respect to another equipment via a network, a signal processing channel processing an audio signal, and a patch transmitting an audio signal among the plurality of input/output ports, the plurality of transmission/reception ports and the signal processing channel, a setting to leave parameter values defining connection between the input/output ports and the transmission/reception ports by the patch before the recall as they are can be performed by a particular group safe setting button.
US09678703B2

An information processing method and apparatus are provided in which a first switching operation instructs an electronic device to switch from a first mode to a second mode while the electronic device is in the first mode, in response to the first switching operation controlling the electronic device to switch from the first mode to the second mode, wherein a display unit set in a face of the electronic device acts as an auxiliary input unit and a projection unit, for projecting content, is set as an output unit while the electronic device is in the first mode; and wherein the display unit acts as an output unit and the projection unit is set as an auxiliary input unit while the electronic device is in the second mode.
US09678697B2

An embodiment is a method of presenting options for printing a document. A computing system receives data descriptive of a document to be printed. The computing system identifies one or more preview thumbnail profiles indicative of graphical parameters for rendering a portion of the document to be printed into preview thumbnail images. The computing system renders a portion of the document to be printed, based at least in part on the graphical parameters of the one or more preview thumbnail profiles, to generate one or more preview thumbnail images. The computing system displays the one or more preview thumbnail images on a printer driver user interface in conjunction with one or more printing options. The preview thumbnail images display predicted appearances of the portion of the document corresponding to the printing options.
US09678691B2

There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion, an accepting portion accepting print jobs and identification information associated with the print jobs, a storage portion storing the print jobs and the identification information, an identification information input portion, and a controller. The controller is configured to: cause the storage portion to store an acceptance time at which the accepting portion accepts each of the print jobs, authenticate the identification information, extract the print jobs associated with the authenticated identification information from the print jobs stored in the storage portion, acquire a difference time which is a difference between an authentication time of authenticating the identification information and an acceptance time of accepting the extracted print jobs, and cause the image forming portion to carry out image formation for all the print jobs with the acquired difference time within a first time period.
US09678689B2

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to storage systems and aliased memory. In aspects, a file system driver or other component may send a request to a memory controller to create an alias between two blocks of memory. One of the blocks of memory may be used for main memory while the other of the blocks of memory may be used for a storage system. In response, the memory controller may create an alias between the blocks of memory. Until the alias is severed, when the memory controller receives a request for data from the block in main memory, the memory controller may respond with data from the memory block used for the storage system. The memory controller may also implement other actions as described herein.
US09678686B2

For performing efficient management of tracks in an asynchronous Peer-to-Peer Redundant Copy (PPRC) operation in a computing storage environment, a correct status of a sequential bit is determined by examining a primary cache, where if data being transferred pursuant to the PPRC operation in a primary track remains in the primary cache, the sequential bit setting found therein is used.
US09678672B2

Expired files in the deduplicating virtual media are selectively erased using a backup application for notifying a backup repository of which expired files are no longer required. The space of the expired files is reclaimed for reuse. Virtual space of the expired files is reserved for allowing the backup application to seek past the reclaimed space to subsequent data in the deduplicating virtual media. Expired files are identified and positions of the expired files are determined in the deduplicating virtual media thereby converting the positions into a list of expired files that is sent to the backup repository.
US09678668B2

A method for dynamically balancing the allocation of data among a plurality of physical data storage devices having a plurality of RAID devices defined thereon, wherein at least one of the plurality of RAID devices is comprised of at least one of a different type of physical storage device or a different number of physical data storage devices than at least one other of the plurality of RAID devices, includes determining a usage factor unique to each RAID device and balancing data I/O based at least in part on the usage factor.
US09678663B2

A display system includes a sensor unit that detects the position of a pointing object in contact with a predetermined object, a control apparatus that sets a key layout on the object and recognizes a key operated by the pointing object based on the position of the pointing object relative to the key layout, and a display apparatus that receives operational input from the operated key.
US09678662B2

A method for controlling a control region on a display screen of a computerized system is presented. The method includes obtaining data from a touchpad. The data is associated with a position of a portion of the hand of a user when the user operates the touchpad. The method includes transmitting the data from the touchpad to the computerized device and analyzing the data in accordance with a model of a human hand. In certain embodiments, the method includes detecting an interaction of at least the portion of the hand of the user on the first touchpad with at least one object displayed on the display screen causing at least one property of the object to be controlled in accordance with the interaction of the portion of the hand of the user on the first touchpad.
US09678657B2

An imaging apparatus includes a control unit that sets a touch area corresponding to a periphery of an initial touch position on a touch panel as an area used for adjusting an image that is displayed at the initial touch position on the basis of a signal that is output by the touch panel disposed in connection with a display unit.
US09678655B2

A method is provided for displaying content to a user. The method comprises displaying content in a first position. The method further comprises detecting an operating member; and determining a distance between the member and a device. The method still further comprises displaying, if the distance between the member and the device is less than a predefined distance, the content in a second position appearing to be behind the first position, with respect to the user.
US09678653B1

Various front light accessories are disclosed that may be used with or coupled to an electronic device to provide light to an outward surface of a reflective light display. A front light accessory may include a light sensor to measure an intensity of ambient light and then control an amount of light emitted by the front lights based on the measured ambient light. In some instances, the front light accessories may share resources such as hardware and software from the electronic device to control an amount of light emitted from the front lights, to provide power to the front lights, and/or for other reasons.
US09678651B2

Some embodiments provide a mapping application that includes a novel compass control that can be used to navigate a presentation of a map. The mapping application displays one of a two-dimensional (2D) presentation of the map and a three-dimensional (3D) presentation of the map at a given time. The compass control may be used to rotate a view of the map based on a first type of input to the compass control and transition between the 2D presentation and the 3D presentation based on a second type of input to the compass control. In addition to causing the application to perform the various operations, the compass control in some embodiments serves as (1) an indicator as to whether the mapping application is currently in a 2D mode or a 3D mode and (2) an indicator that continuously points to north.
US09678650B2

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling streaming media data using a streaming control device includes accessing, via the streaming control device, a plurality of media data stored in a media server, displaying, via a touchscreen of the streaming control device, a first object including the plurality of media data, receiving a first command selecting a particular media data among the plurality of media data from the first object, searching for media playback devices to reproduce the particular media data based on a position of the streaming control device, displaying, via the touchscreen, a third object for representing the searched media playback devices, receiving a second command selecting a particular media playback device among the searched media playback devices from the third object, and controlling the particular media playback device to reproduce the particular media data.
US09678647B2

Tooltip generation for zoom feedback is described. In response to the initiation of a zoom operation, a tooltip is generated. The tooltip shows an established potential zoom level that will be used to execute the zoom operation if no other zoom level is established or selected. Multiple potential zoom levels may be shown within the tooltip before the zoom operation is executed.
US09678645B2

A system for providing an interactive map displays an interactive map marker that includes an associated location on the map, an associated data value, a visual indicator, and an underlying data model. The system receives an interaction from a user that modifies the visual indicator and changes the associated data value based on the visual indicator modification. The system then changes the underlying data model based on the visual indicator modification.
US09678638B2

A method, system, and computer program product for guiding gesture operations are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An initial position of a gesture is determined. The gesture is a touch-based gesture made by a user relative to a touch-sensitive interface of a data processing system. The gesture is made to manipulate data presented using the data processing system. A set of gesture size adjustments is determined. A set of data adjustments to be made to the data is computed. An adjustment in the set of data adjustments corresponds to an adjustment in the set of gesture size adjustments. The set of gesture size adjustments and the corresponding set of data adjustments are presented as a guide relative to the initial position of the gesture. The guide informs the user about an expected result of a member gesture size adjustment before the user makes the gesture size adjustment.
US09678632B2

A data processing method includes obtaining a path setting parameter and a display window setting parameter of a desktop child window, where the path setting parameter includes a save path of one or more objects inside the desktop child window in a non-system partition, and the display window setting parameter includes a display window size, a display position, and a display manner; creating a desktop child window operation thread; generating, by using the desktop child window operation thread, a desktop child window corresponding to the display window setting parameter, and pointing an object operation pointer of the desktop child window to a storage area corresponding to the path setting parameter in the non-system partition; and injecting the desktop child window operation thread into a system desktop operation thread that is currently running on an operating system, so as to display the desktop child window on a system desktop.
US09678614B2

The present invention discloses a touch display panel, a detecting method thereof, and a display device. The common electrode layer is divided into a plurality of independent self capacitance electrodes, and the common electrode is multiplexed as self capacitance electrodes. There is no need to provide an additional film, and it is only required to modify the pattern of the common electrode layer in the current LCD panel. Thus, the production cost is reduced, and the production efficiency is improved. Since the self capacitance electrodes are formed by dividing the common electrode layer in the above-mentioned touch display panel, a compensating electrode is further provided which is arranged in a layer different from that of the self capacitance electrodes, is insulated from the self capacitance electrodes, and at least covers a portion of a partition gap between neighboring self capacitance electrodes. A common electrode signal is applied to the compensating electrode during a display period. In this way, the common electrode signal which is applied to the compensating electrode during display can compensate the common electrode signal at partition gaps of the self capacitance, thus ensuring that liquid crystal molecules at partition gaps normally invert and that the overall display panel displays normally.
US09678611B2

The present disclosure is related to a touch sensing system and a display apparatus decreasing a sensing time and enabling an effective touch sensing, although a number of sensing electrodes increases according to an increase of an area of a touch panel.
US09678607B2

The present disclosure relates to a touch technology, and more particularly, to a touch panel and a manufacturing method the same. A touch panel is provided, comprising an inductive electrode layer and a patterned protective layer covering the inductive electrode layer; wherein formative pattern of the patterned protective layer is identical to that of the inductive electrode layer. The present disclosure also provides a manufacturing method for touch panels. A touch panel and a manufacturing method the same are provided in the present disclosure, in which the patterned protective layer is used for covering the inductive electrode layer to isolate the inductive electrode layer from oxygen and overcome the influence of oxygen on the diamond resistance changes of conductive materials under the condition of high-temperature baking, thereby enhancing the accuracy of touch positions recognized by touch panel.
US09678597B2

A signal processing circuit is connected to one of a plurality of conductors of a position detection sensor having a self-capacitance and configured to generate a signal indicative of the self-capacitance for use in correcting a pointer position detection signal. The circuit includes a capacitor circuit and detects a change in capacitance between the conductor and a pointer (e.g., a finger) as a change in voltage in the capacitor circuit. The signal processing circuit further includes: a gate circuit which controls the connection between the capacitor circuit and the conductor; and a voltage supply control circuit which temporarily sets, to a defined voltage level, a first end of the gate circuit to which the conductor is connected and sets a defined potential difference between the first end and another (second) end of the gate circuit to which the capacitor circuit is connected.
US09678595B2

A touch sensor includes a sensor electrode having an electrostatic capacitance for touch detection, and a touch detection circuit detecting a contact or proximity position of an object on the basis of a detection signal obtained from the sensor electrode by applying a touch sensor drive signal to the sensor electrode. The sensor electrode is split into plural stripe-like electrode patterns. Applying the touch sensor drive signal to part of the electrode patterns forms a drive line at that time. The touch detection circuit performs a detection on the basis of a first detection signal obtained from a first drive line formed in a first period, and a second detection signal obtained from a second drive line formed in a second period.
US09678587B2

A mobile terminal is provided including a touchscreen and a controller. The controller is configured to display, on the touchscreen, a moving picture and a subset of a plurality of key frame pictures for the moving picture.
US09678586B2

Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device having a smaller overall physical size and a lower production cost, and is minimally affected by electrical interference versus conventional input devices. Embodiments discussed herein include an input device that has a sensor controller disposed in close proximity to a plurality of sensing elements that are used to sense and acquire positional information of an input object. In one embodiment, the sensor controller and at least portions of the sensor electrodes are disposed between two transparent substrates that are positioned near a display device. In some embodiments, the sensor controller is disposed in an edge region of a substrate which has a sensing region through which the adjacently positioned sensor electrodes are configured to sense the presence of an input object.
US09678576B2

Various technologies described herein pertain to using detected physical gestures to cause calls to transfer between client devices. A physical gesture between a first client device and a second client device can be detected (e.g., utilizing the first client device, the second client device, a disparate client-side device, a server, etc.). The first client device participates in a call, while the second client device is not participating in the call at a time of the detection of the physical gesture. Responsive to detection of the physical gesture, participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated. Participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated by causing the call to transfer from the first client device to the second client device or causing the second client device to join the call while the first client device continues to participate in the call.
US09678570B2

The present invention relates to a haptic transmission method. The haptic transmission method includes the steps of: a mobile terminal at a transmitting side displaying a screen capable of receiving an input for a receiver; when an input of selection for the receiver is completed, displaying a screen capable of receiving content to be transmitted; and when an impact or a touch input is detected after the screen display, generating a vibration pattern signal on the basis of the detected impact or the detected touch input and transmitting a message including the vibration pattern signal.
US09678560B2

Embodiments of the invention describe apparatuses, systems and methods to detect, during a host platform sleep state, a peripheral device audio jack plug being coupled to (e.g., inserted into) an audio jack connection socket. A specific sleep state of the host platform may be determined, and a system wake event may be generated so that the host platform wakes from the sleep state in response to the peripheral device being coupled to the audio jack connection socket. Thus, embodiments of the invention incorporated in handheld mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tablet computers with limited input/output (I/O) provide a user with alternative means for waking the device from a sleep state.
US09678556B2

Systems and methods for dynamic clock and voltage scaling can switch integrated circuits between frequency-voltage modes with low latency. These systems include a resource power manager that can control a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), phase locked loops (PLLs), and clock dividers. The resource power manager controls transitions between frequency-voltage modes. The systems and methods provide dynamic clock and voltage scaling where the transitions between frequency-voltage modes are an atomic operation. Additionally, the resource power manager can control many modules, for example, clock dividers, in parallel. The invention can, due to lower latency between frequency-voltage modes, can provide improved system performance and reduced system power.
US09678552B2

An information handling system includes a host processing complex to instantiate a hosted processing environment, a management controller to manage the host processing complex out of band from the hosted processing environment, and a wireless management module coupled to the management controller. The wireless management module includes a first Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface that is coupled to a second USB interface of the management controller when the management controller is powered up, and is coupled to a USB connector when the management controller is powered down, wherein the wireless management module receives power from a USB device coupled to the USB connector.
US09678535B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a moveable keyboard lattice frame for a portable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the portable electronic device includes a display housing and a base housing. The base housing is attached to the display housing via hinge members and also includes a keyboard input area comprising of a plurality of input keys. Furthermore, a moveable keyboard lattice frame is formed within the base housing and includes key openings corresponding with positions of the plurality of input keys. Moreover, the keyboard lattice frame is configured to rise and lower based on rotational movement of the display panel and hinge members.
US09678533B2

An information processing apparatus including a display portion, and a casing including an inner circumference wall portion that faces a side wall of the display portion and an inner circumference bottom plane portion that faces a rear surface of the display portion. The display portion is secured to the inner circumference wall portion and the inner circumference bottom plane portion of the casing with an adhesive agent.
US09678520B2

A method, apparatus, system and computer program is provided for controlling an electric power system, including implementation of an energy planning process (EPP) system which can be used to plan a voltage control and conservation (VCC) system applied to an electrical distribution connection system (EEDCS). The EPP system plans modifications to the EEDCS as a result of operating the VCC system in the “ON” state, in order to maximize the level of energy conservation achieved by the VCC system control of the EEDCS. The EPP system may also identify potential problems in the EEDCS for correction.
US09678511B2

Techniques are provided for tuning a rotary positive displacement pump. The techniques include apparatus featuring a signal processor configured to the present invention may take the form of apparatus comprising a signal processor that may be configured to receive signaling containing information about actual pump performance data related to the operation of a rotary positive displacement pump; and determine corrected published pump performance data to operate the rotary positive displacement pump by compensating published pump performance data based at least partly on the actual pump performance data. The corrected published pump performance data may include a corrected published rated power, flow and slip factor, and the actual pump performance data contains information about actual power, specific gravity and viscosity related to the operation of the rotary positive displacement pump and received from a pump controller or controlling device, including a variable frequency drive.
US09678509B2

Techniques that optimize performance of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) processes for mobile devices, typically a mobile robot. In one embodiment, erroneous particles are introduced to the particle filtering process of localization. Monitoring the weights of the erroneous particles relative to the particles maintained for SLAM provides a verification that the robot is localized and detection that it is no longer localized. In another embodiment, cell-based grid mapping of a mobile robot's environment also monitors cells for changes in their probability of occupancy. Cells with a changing occupancy probability are marked as dynamic and updating of such cells to the map is suspended or modified until their individual occupancy probabilities have stabilized. In another embodiment, mapping is suspended when it is determined that the device is acquiring data regarding its physical environment in such a way that use of the data for mapping will incorporate distortions into the map, as for example when the robotic device is tilted.
US09678504B2

The invention is directed towards providing control in a first computerized control system of a real world object provided in a second computerized control system that is connected to the first system. The real world object is represented in the second system by an originating container being linked to originating aspects representing data and/or operations of the originating container. Control in the first system is generally accomplished through providing, in the first system, a proxy container corresponding to the originating container in the second system together with aspects corresponding to originating aspects of the originating container and being linked to the proxy container.
US09678500B2

A numerical control device reads a machining program and causes a machine tool to operate based on the machining program. The numerical control device includes: an acceleration-deceleration determining unit; and a position-command generating unit. The numerical control device is configured to set the acceleration and the deceleration as acceleration-deceleration data when the acceleration and the deceleration satisfy tolerances decided based on actual mechanical dynamic characteristics, and set the tolerances as acceleration-deceleration data when the acceleration and deceleration do not satisfy the tolerances. The position-command generating unit is configured to generate a position command based on the moving command, the acceleration-deceleration data, and the speed at the end of the command route and the superimposition amount subjected to processing by the acceleration-deceleration determining unit.
US09678479B2

A shock-absorber bearing for a staff of a moving part of a timepiece, the bearing including a support including a housing configured to receive a pivot module configured to cooperate with the staff, and an elastic mechanism configured to exert at least one axial force on the pivot module to retain the module in its housing.
US09678478B2

The invention provides bearing systems characterized by single point contact with each jewel segment and a spring-loaded assembly with protection from radial and thrust forces. An important feature of jewel bearings of the invention is that they are self-lubricating, i.e., no oil or grease lubricants are needed. This can be a major advantage in medical and precision equipment. A secondary important feature is the reduced friction and effective heat-dissipation due to the unique design of the invention with significant reduction in contact surfaces and friction, which significantly prolong the lifespan of the bearings. Another advantage of the present invention is the substantial reduction in audible noise due to the unique design. Furthermore, the invention allows the use of relatively low cost synthetic jewel segments in bearings.
US09678472B2

An image forming apparatus including a fan disposed between an exhaust port and a filter, and a controller configured to perform at least one of first fan control and second fan control when at least one switching condition is satisfied among one or more switching conditions for switching fan control, the first fan control being for controlling the fan to generate an air current when an in-apparatus temperature detected by a temperature sensor is higher than a threshold temperature, the second fan control being for controlling the fan to generate an air current when an air contamination amount detected by a contamination sensor is larger than a threshold contamination amount.
US09678470B2

An image-forming apparatus includes: a main body; a toner cartridge having a first opening; a process cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a second opening; a positioning part; a transfer unit; and an urging member. The toner cartridge and process cartridge are attachable to and detachable from the main body in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The positioning part and transfer unit are positioned above the process cartridge attached to the main body. The positioning part fixes the attached process cartridge in position relative to the main body. The urging member urges the attached process cartridge toward the positioning part and urges the process cartridge such that such that the toner can be supplied from the toner cartridge to the process cartridge through the first opening and the second opening when the toner cartridge and the process cartridge are attached to the main body.
US09678452B2

A roller for electrophotography including a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel is provided. The elastic layer contains a hollow particle in a region from the surface of the elastic layer to a depth of 100 μm. A cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a first plane and a cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a second plane each have a ratio of the length of the long axis to the length of the short axis of 1.2 or more and 1.9 or less.
US09678449B2

An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes a toner particle which has a sea portion containing a binder resin and an island portion containing a release agent, wherein a melt viscosity at 100° C. of the toner is from 4,000 to 200,000 Pa·s, a flow activation energy of the toner is 18,000 to 80,000 J·mol−1, a maximum frequent value in distribution of eccentricity B of the island portion is from 0.75 to 0.98, a skewness in the distribution of the eccentricity B is from −1.10 to −0.50, and the eccentricity B is expressed by 2d/D, wherein D indicates an equivalent circle diameter (μm) of the toner in an observation of a cross-section of the toner, and d indicates a distance (μm) from a centroid of the toner to a centroid of the island portion containing the release agent in the observation of a cross-section of the toner.
US09678445B2

A substrate holder for a lithographic apparatus has a planarization layer provided on a surface thereof. The planarization layer provides a smooth surface for the formation of an electronic component such as a thin film electronic component. The planarization layer may be provided in multiple sub layers. The planarization layer may smooth over roughness caused by removal of material from a blank to form burls on the substrate holder.
US09678437B2

An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator, a polarization member arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light, and a distribution changing member arranged in the optical path between the polarization member and the optical integrator, which can change a light amount distribution of the illumination light on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus. The polarization member changes the polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light, which is distributed away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus on the pupil plane, is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis on the pupil plane.
US09678433B2

In corner sections of first to fourth quadrants whose origin point is a center of an upper surface of a stage, three each of two-dimensional heads are provided. The three each of two-dimensional heads include one first head and two second heads. The stage is driven, while measuring a position of the stage using three first heads that face a two-dimensional grating of a scale plate provided above the stage from the four first heads, and during the driving, difference data of measurement values of the two second heads with respect to the first head in a measurement direction are taken in for head groups to which the three first heads belong, respectively, and using the difference data, grid errors are calibrated.
US09678432B2

An optical system has a light source having an original etendue of less than 0.1 mm2 for an illumination system for projection lithography. An optical assembly serves for simultaneously increasing the etendue of a used emission of the light source. The optical assembly is embodied such that an increase in the etendue by at least a factor of 10 results. A component of the optical assembly that is impinged on is displaced relative to the light source such that an impingement region of the emission of the light source on the optical component of the optical assembly varies temporally.
US09678430B2

A method and low pH compositions for removing bulk and/or hardened photoresist material from microelectronic devices have been developed. The low pH compositions include sulfuric acid and at least one phosphorus-containing acid. The low pH compositions effectively remove the hardened photoresist material while not damaging the underlying silicon-containing layer(s) or the metal gate materials.
US09678428B2

A light irradiating apparatus that may include: an ultraviolet light emission lamp configured to emit vacuum ultraviolet light toward a workpiece to be disposed in an atmosphere of a treatment gas including oxygen; a light passing window adapted to be disposed between the workpiece and the ultraviolet light emission lamp and configured to allow the vacuum ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emission lamp to pass therethrough, in which the light passing window has a light-exiting surface; and a spacer adapted to be disposed between the light passing window and the workpiece, to apply a pressing force onto the workpiece and to form a gap that allows a distance from the light-exiting surface of the light passing window to a surface of the workpiece to be of a uniform size over the entire surface of the workpiece.
US09678421B2

Metrology targets, target design methods and metrology methods are provided. Metrology targets comprise target elements belonging to two or more target element types. Each target element type comprises unresolved features which offset specified production parameters to a specified extent and thus provide sensitivity monitoring and optimization tools for process parameters such as focus and dose.
US09678412B2

A zoom lens is a projection lens which is composed of a negative first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, a negative fourth lens group, a fifth lens group, and a positive sixth lens group in order from the enlargement conjugate side, and changes magnification by changing the intervals between the lens groups. At least the second, third, and fifth lens groups move when the magnification is changed, and the third lens group moves from the enlargement conjugate side to the reduction conjugate side when the magnification is changed from a telephoto end to a wide angle end. An aperture stop is disposed between the surface closest to the reduction conjugate side of the third lens group and the surface closest to the enlargement conjugate side of the fifth lens group, and is approximately telecentric on the reduction conjugate side.
US09678411B1

Devices and methods disclosed here can include a floating action camera mount. The floating action camera mount can include a vessel having an exterior surface. The vessel can be floatable in a liquid. A camera mount can be coupled to the exterior surface of the vessel for attaching an action camera to the floating action camera mount. At least one positioning weight can be coupled along the vessel. For instance, the positioning weight can be adjustably positionable along the exterior surface of the vessel between a first weight location and a second weight location. In the first weight location, the vessel, and correspondingly the camera mount, can be positioned in a first orientation with respect to a surface of the liquid. In the second weight location, the vessel, and correspondingly the camera mount, can be positioned in a second orientation with respect to the surface of the liquid.
US09678408B2

Provided is a zoom lens including a plurality of lens units, in which an interval between each pair of adjacent lens units is changed during zooming, the plurality of lens units include a lens unit BR arranged closest to image side in zoom lens, which moves in optical axis direction during focusing and a lens element A arranged adjacent to lens unit BR on object side, having refractive power of sign opposite to that of lens unit BR, in which lens element A consists of a single lens or a cemented lens, and distance between surface closest to image side of lens element A and image plane at wide angle end, distance between surface closest to image side of lens element A and surface closest to object side of lens unit BR at wide angle end, and focal length of zoom lens at wide angle end are each appropriately set.
US09678406B2

Provided are an optical switch and an optical logic device. The optical switch includes a plate having a nanometer-sized thickness, a first slit formed in the plate, through which a first light passes, a second slit formed in the plate, separately from the first slit, through which a second light selectively passes, a plurality of first grooves formed on a first side of the first slit, between the first slit and the second slit, and a plurality of second grooves formed on a second side of the first slit, opposite the first side. The first light and the second light may have a phase difference and a focusing of the first light is turned on/off by controlling the second light.
US09678403B2

A transmissive optical shutter includes a first contact layer provided on a substrate; a plurality of stacks provided on the first contact layer, each stack of the plurality of stacks including a first reflective layer, an active layer, a second reflective layer, and a second contact layer sequentially provided on the first contact layer; a first electrode provided on the first contact layer; and a plurality of second electrodes respectively provided on corresponding second contact layers of the second contact layers of the plurality of stacks, each second electrode of the plurality of second electrodes being comb-shaped.
US09678402B2

An electrochromic apparatus includes an electrochromic element comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrochromic layer disposed between the pair of electrodes; and drive circuits connected to the electrochromic element, the drive circuits including a drive circuit A and a drive circuit B, in which, when no voltage is applied in a pulse width modulation (PWM) drive of the drive circuit A, a resistance value of the drive circuit A is larger than a resistance value of the electrochromic element, and in which when no voltage is applied in a PWM drive of the drive circuit B, the pair of electrodes is short-circuited.
US09678394B2

A display panel is disclosed. The display panel includes a backlight module and first and second substrates. The first substrate comprises pixel elements arranged in an array, each including a sub-pixel element having a first slit electrode therein. The first substrate is divided into N zones. In addition, there are a uniform electrode sheet width and a uniform electrode slit width of the first slit electrodes in the pixel elements in each zone, the electrode sheet width of the first slit electrodes in the pixel elements in the i-th zone is less than the electrode sheet width of the first slit electrodes in the pixel elements in the (i+1)-th zone, and the electrode slit width of the first slit electrodes in the pixel elements in the i-th zone is greater than the electrode slit width of the first slit electrodes in the pixel elements in the (i+1)-th zone.
US09678393B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a display apparatus and a method for driving the display apparatus capable of providing a LCD panel having good display quality are provided. The liquid crystal display panel comprises: a first substrate (11) and a second substrate (21) opposite to each other, a pixel array provided on the first substrate (11), and a liquid crystal layer (3) between the first substrate (11) and the second substrate (21). The liquid crystal display panel further comprising a first common electrode (12) disposed on a side of the first substrate (11) close to the liquid crystal layer (3) and a second common electrode (22) disposed on a side of the second substrate (21) close to the liquid crystal layer (3). A first pixel electrode (1) and a second pixel electrode (2) are disposed on the first substrate (11). The second common electrode (22) has no overlap region directly facing the first pixel electrode (1) and/or the second pixel electrode (2).
US09678391B2

In a liquid crystal display device, a TFT substrate and a counter substrate are bonded by a sealing material, with a liquid crystal interposed between the two substrates. An alignment film has a two-layer structure of a lower alignment film not subjected to photo alignment treatment and an upper alignment film subjected to photo alignment treatment and contacting the liquid crystal. A hollow with an increased film thickness is formed in an end portion of the lower alignment film. An end portion of the upper alignment film is determined by the hollow of the lower alignment film. The material, process conditions, or other conditions of the lower alignment film for easy control of outer end dimensions can be selected to easily control the profile of the alignment film as a whole. Thus, it is possible to avoid the reduction of reliability due to the reduction of the bonding strength between the sealing material and the alignment film.
US09678389B2

Disclosed are a multi-domain liquid crystal display panel comprising an upper substrate and a lower substrate, wherein at least one of the substrates includes a glass substrate, a conventional alignment layer coated on the surface of the glass substrate, and a polymer alignment layer having a different alignment direction from that of the conventional alignment layer and a method for preparing the same. In the present invention, a smectic/cholesteric liquid crystal polymer is formed from the mixture of liquid crystal polymerizable monomers having smectic phase (Sm)-cholesteric phase (N*) transition, and multiple liquid crystal alignments in a single pixel are formed by adjusting the polymerization temperature, the thickness of the polymer layer, and the amount of the smectic liquid crystal polymerizable monomer, thereby realizing a multi-domain display by the subsequent masking treatment and ultraviolet irradiation. The method for preparing the same is simple, novel, low-cost, and easy to achieve.
US09678378B2

A display device includes: a substrate including a display area composed of a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix; lower electrodes each formed in each of the plurality of pixels on the substrate and composed of a conductor; an organic layer formed on the lower electrodes and including a light-emitting layer; an upper electrode formed on the organic layer and composed of a conductor; and a pixel separation film at least a portion of which includes polymer dispersed liquid crystal, the pixel separation film being in contact with edges of the lower electrodes to insulate between the lower electrodes of the pixels adjacent to each other.
US09678372B2

The present disclosure relates to a peripheral test circuit of a display array substrate, and a liquid crystal display panel. The peripheral test circuit of a display array substrate includes: multiple groups of test signal lines, each group consisting of a first and a second test signal lines spaced from each other; a plurality of test pad leads, each being arranged in an interval formed between the first and the second test signal lines of a respective group, and connected with the first and the second test signal lines but not overlapped with the first and the second test signal lines of other groups; and a plurality of test pads, each being arranged on a respective test pad lead. According to the peripheral test circuit of the present disclosure, the problem existing in the current peripheral test circuit, i.e., a short circuit formed between the test pad lead and the test signal line due to electrostatic discharge caused by crossover between the test pad lead and the test signal line, can be overcome, thus reducing the injury risk of electrostatic discharge.
US09678366B2

Attractive eyeglasses and novelty shades are provided that are fun and entertaining and can be worn at sporting events, pep rallies, amusement parks, popular concerts, car races, parties, with costumes, and at other places. The improved eyeglasses and novelty shades can comprise an eye glass assembly with a novelty connected to an eyeglass frame. Desirably, the novelty comprises a headband or a part of at least one imitation vehicle. The headband can comprise a unitary one-piece headband or an interlocking multiple piece headband. The headband can further comprises a decorative portion, such as an imitation crown, tiara, coronet, or wreath. Preferably, the attractive imitation vehicle has at least one wheel well which is positioned about one of the earpieces of the eyeglass frame.
US09678358B2

Eyewear having a pair of lenses supported by frame members and a pair of releasable connectors connected to respective inner ends of the frame members, the connectors being securely connectable and releasable from each other. A strap is connected between rear ends of the eyewear temples which are in turn connected to outer ends of the frame members. Eyewear having a pair of lenses supported by frame members and a pair of releasable connectors connected to respective inner ends of the frame members, the connectors being securely connectable and releasable from each other. A strap is connected between rear ends of the eyewear temples which are in turn connected to outer ends of the frame members. The strap is rigid enough to generally retain it shape when the connectors are released and springy enough to be bendable when flexed and rebound when released, the strap being generally U-shaped having parallel legs connected to an arc-shaped base, the parallel legs being connected to rear ends of the temples when worn, the arc-shaped base extending along the back of the user's head and exhibiting a degree of buoyancy such that the eyewear floats in water.
US09678351B2

Provided is a stereoscopic display device, including: a base substrate transmitting an incident beam; and a three-dimensional effect forming part on a first surface of the base substrate, wherein the three-dimensional effect forming part has a pattern, the pattern having multiple pattern units arranged in a concentric circular, elliptical or polygonal radial form, each of the pattern units having an inclined surface having an inclination angle with respect to the first surface, and wherein when an incident beam is incident to a central portion of the pattern, the pattern guides the incident beam in a first surface direction toward which the first surface looks or a second surface direction toward which a second surface opposite to the first surface looks, thereby displaying a line-shaped beam having a three-dimensional effect in a first path resulting a pattern arrangement direction.
US09678348B2

An optical module includes an optical waveguide, at least one beam splitter and a light source. The optical waveguide has a first surface, a second surface and a light incidence surface. An interior angle between the light incidence surface and the first surface is θ. A distance between the first and the second surfaces is T. A refractive index of the optical waveguide is n. Each beam splitter and the first surface have a first intersection point on a reference plane perpendicular to the first surface, and the light incidence surface and the second surface have a second intersection point having a first orthogonal projection on the first surface. A distance between the first orthogonal projection and the first intersection point closest to the light incidence surface is H. An incidence angle of a beam at the light incidence surface is a, and a ≤ sin - 1 ⁢ { n × sin - 1 ⁡ [ 90 ⁢ ° - θ - tan - 1 ⁡ ( H T ) ] } .
US09678347B2

A glasses-type mobile terminal includes a frame, a fixing body, a moving body and a joint. The frame is wearable on a user's head. The fixing body is coupled to one side of the frame. The moving body has a display unit for providing a user with visual information, and is disposed at the front based on user's eyes. The joint has one end coupled to the fixing body and the other end tiltably connected to the moving body so that the position of the moving body is controlled.
US09678342B2

An apparatus includes a user action state obtaining circuit configured to obtain an action state of a user; and a display control circuit configured to control a display to modify display information based on the action state.
US09678341B2

A head-up display (HUD) apparatus and a method of using the HUD apparatus are described. The HUD apparatus includes a first optical module configured to display a two dimensional (2D) image, a second optical module configured to display a three dimensional (3D) image and arranged at a predetermined angle relative to the first optical module, a separation module arranged on an optical path of the first and second optical modules to reflect a light of the first optical module and to project a light from the second optical module, and an optical system configured to output the light having passed the separation module.
US09678333B2

A micromechanical mirror includes a mobile mass carrying a mirror element and provided in a body including semiconductor material. A driving structure is coupled to the mobile mass to cause a scanning movement thereof. The driving structure is configured to generate a combination of a two or more sinusoidal resonant modes in the micromechanical mirror at respective resonant frequencies. This combination approximates a scanning pattern of the mobile mass defined by a linear function which may, in particular, be a triangular shaped function.
US09678324B2

The present microscope system has: a microscope, which has a light source, an aperture stop, a condenser lens, and an objective lens; a camera, which has a microlens array and an image pickup element; and an image processing unit, which constitutes a computer. The image processing unit divides a plurality of pixels allocated to each of the microlenses into bright-field image detection regions to be used for detecting bright-field images, and dark-field image detection regions to be used for detecting darkfield images, in accordance with the size of an aperture of the aperture stop. The image processing unit generates bright-field image data of a sample and darkfield image data of the sample.
US09678321B2

A light trapping optical cover employing an optically transparent layer with a plurality of light deflecting elements. The transparent layer is configured for an unimpeded light passage through its body and has a broad light input surface and an opposing broad light output surface. The light deflecting elements deflect light incident into the transparent layer at a sufficiently high bend angle with respect to a surface normal and direct the deflected light toward a light harvesting device adjacent to the light output surface. The deflected light is retained by means of at least TIR in the system formed by the optical cover and the light harvesting device which allows for longer light propagation paths through the photoabsorptive layer of the device and for an improved light absorption. The optical cover may further employ a focusing array of light collectors being pairwise associated with the respective light deflecting elements.
US09678318B2

Provided is a zoom lens, including, in order from an object side to an image side: a positive first lens unit that does not move for zooming; a negative second lens unit that moves during zooming; and a positive N-th lens unit that does not move for zooming and is arranged closest to the image side. Among lenses constructing the second lens unit, two lenses closest to the image side are a positive lens and a negative lens, and partial dispersion ratios for g-line and F-line and Abbe numbers for a d-line of the positive and negative lenses, and an average value of refractive indices of all the lenses of the second lens unit are appropriately set.
US09678317B2

A zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a positive first lens unit not moving for zooming; a negative second lens unit moving during zooming; a negative third lens unit moving during zooming; and a fourth lens unit not moving for zooming and including an aperture stop, the fourth lens unit including first and second sub-lens units arranged on object side and image plane side of the aperture stop, respectively, in which a relationship between a maximum height of an axial ray from an optical axis in the first sub-lens unit when focusing at infinity at a wide angle end, and a maximum height of an axial ray at the aperture stop when focusing at infinity at the wide angle end and of full open aperture, and a lateral magnification of the fourth lens unit when focusing at infinity at the wide angle end are appropriately set.
US09678310B2

An imaging lens is constituted essentially by four or more lenses, including, in order from the object side to the image side: a first lens having a positive refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; and a plurality of other lenses. The conditional formulae below are satisfied. 0.8
US09678309B2

The present disclosure discloses an optical image capturing system. The optical image capturing system includes a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power, a sixth lens with refractive power and a seventh lens with refractive power sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side along the optical axis. At least one of the first through sixth lens has positive refractive power. The seventh lens may have negative refractive power and both image side and object side surfaces of the seventh lens are aspheric. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for the application of compact cameras.
US09678298B2

A modular cable tie-down bracket is provided. The cable tie-down bracket includes a pipe adapter mounting portion and a cable mounting portion integrally formed with the pipe adapter mounting portion. Further, the pipe adapter mounting portion is configured to be mounted to a pipe adapter and the cable mounting portion is configured to mount a cable. A cable mounting assembly is also provided.
US09678293B2

Certain types of fiber termination enclosures include an enclosure and at least one of a plurality of plate module mounting assemblies. Example plate module mounting assemblies include a termination panel plate assembly; a splice tray plate assembly; a cable spool plate assembly; and a drop-in plate assembly. Example cable spool plate assemblies include a cable spool arrangement rotationally coupled to a mounting plate, which fixedly mounts within the enclosure housing. A stand-off mount element may be disposed on the front of the cable spool arrangement to rotate in unison with the cable spool arrangement. The stand-off mount element may include one or more termination adapters.
US09678284B2

A device (1) for cleaning an optical waveguide end (2) comprises a guide portion (3) for receiving the optical waveguide end (2) in a stable position and a rotatably mounted spool (4) onto which a flexible cleaning element (5) is wound. The guide portion (3) and the spool (4) are positioned relative to one another such that an optical waveguide end (2) received by the guide portion (3) is able to be pressed against the wound cleaning element (5). The cleaning element (5) is able to be unwound from the spool (4) such that different portions of the cleaning element (5) are able to be applied to the optical waveguide end (2) during unwinding.
US09678283B1

Connector assemblies having an adjustable polarity are described. For example, at least two ferrules may be arranged in a housing of the connector assembly within independent frame plugs in a certain polarity. A top portion of the housing may be removed to allow access to the frame plugs. Accordingly, an installer may open the housing, switch the polarity of the ferrules, and then re-couple the top portion to the housing. In another example, the connector assembly may include a latch that may rotate about the connector assembly from a first polarity position to a second polarity position. The connector assembly may include a compression element that may facilitate the rotation of the latch when the compression element is compressed. In this manner, the latch may be rotated to a different polarity position to allow the connector assembly to be connected to an adapter using a different polarity.
US09678277B2

A filter includes two translucent bodies. Each of the translucent bodies has a first plane, a second plane that forms a wedge angle with the first plane, and a third plane that intersects with both the first plane and the second plane, first planes of the two translucent bodies are parallel to each other, and second planes of the two translucent bodies are parallel to each other. The filter also comprises a beam splitting film, where surfaces of both sides are respectively combined with the first planes of the two translucent bodies. Two reflective films are combined, respectively, with the second planes of the two translucent bodies.
US09678273B2

A device for propagating light is described, comprising: a substrate having a semiconductor material, an insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer is arranged on the substrate, a recess reaching through the insulating layer and into the substrate, wherein the recess is at least partially filled with a filler material, and a waveguide arranged in or on the filler material.
US09678270B2

The invention concerns a multimode optical fiber, with a graded-index core co-doped with at least fluorine F and germanium GeO2 and a refractive index profile with at least two α-values. According to the invention, the concentration of fluorine F at the core center ([F]r=0) is between 0 and 3 wt % and the concentration of fluorine F at the core outer radius ([F]r=a) is between 0.5 wt % and 5.5 wt %, with [F]r=a−[F]r=>0.4 wt %. For wavelengths comprised between 850 nm and 1100 nm, said multimode optical fiber has an overfilled launch bandwidth (OFL-BW) greater than 3500 MHz·km and a calculated effective modal bandwidth (EMBc) greater than 4700 MHz·km over a continuous operating wavelength range greater than 150 nm.
US09678261B2

To provide an inorganic polarizing plate which, when used in structures having different used wavelength bands, can reduce reflectance by using a common structure, making it possible to achieve a predetermined light extinction ratio. The inorganic polarizing plate has a substrate that is transparent to light in a used bandwidth, a reflective layer that is composed of grids that are formed on one surface of the substrate with a pitch that is smaller than a wavelength of light in the used bandwidth, a dielectric layer that is stacked on the reflective layer, and an absorbing layer containing FeSi fine particles.
US09678258B2

A dichroic coating can be applied to a glass window of an electronic device to enhance the cosmetic and aesthetic appeal of the device. Different processes can be applied to the glass window in combination with a dichroic coating. For example, a layer of ink can be applied to the glass window in addition to one or more layers of dichroic material. The material layers can cover any suitable portion of the glass. For example, the material layers can include holes or openings. As another example, the material layers can be constructed from several distinct shapes placed on the glass. In some cases, software applications can be used to define a desired color profile for a coating, and to retrieve a suitable combination of dichroic and other layers to provide the desired color profile.
US09678251B2

An optical head for receiving incident light is provided. The optical head comprises a transmissive cosine corrector and a reflector disposed to face the transmissive cosine corrector. The transmissive cosine corrector is disposed in an optical path of the incident light and shields the reflector from the incident light. The transmissive cosine corrector converts the incident light to scattered light having a Lambertian pattern. The reflector has an optical output section that transmits the scattered light and a reflective section that reflects the scattered light to the transmissive cosine corrector and/or the other portions of the reflective sections. An optical system using the optical head is also provided.
US09678250B2

Provided is a method of fabricating a light functional substrate. The method includes applying particles onto a surface of water contained in a container to form a monolayer constituted by the particles, immersing a substrate into the container, drawing the substrate out of the container to form patterns constituted by the particles on the substrate in a first direction, and forming a planarization film covering the patterns on the substrate.
US09678245B2

A polycarbonate resin film of the present invention is formed from a polycarbonate resin which contains at least a constitutional unit derived from a dihydroxy compound having a bonded structure represented by the following structural formula (1) and satisfies the following expression (2) when subjected to a tensile test at a standard stretching temperature for the polycarbonate resin and at a pulling speed (strain rate) of 1,000%/min. [Chem. 1] CH2—O  (1) (No hydrogen atom is bonded to the oxygen atom contained in the structural formula (1).) 0.9≦[(lower yield stress in tension)/(upper yield stress in tension)]≦1  (2).
US09678244B2

Apparatus, methods, and systems related to a spectroelectrochemical cell apparatus including a cell body that has a first volume, a transparent sample window defined in the cell body, the transparent sample window defining an optical path through the cell body and having a second volume, a working electrode extending through the cell body and into the transparent sample window in the optical path, a counter electrode extending through the cell body, a reference electrode extending through the cell body, a sample inlet extending through the cell body, a solvent inlet extending through the cell body, an electrolyte inlet extending through the cell body, an ionic fluid inlet extending through the cell body, a detection species inlet extending through the cell body, a fluid outlet extending through the cell body, and a fluid mixer located within the cell body.
US09678240B2

Systems, methods, and software for detecting boundary locations of multiple subsurface layers are described. In some aspects, the boundaries of multiple subsurface layers in a subterranean region are identified based on measurements associated with multiple different transmitter-receiver spacings. The measurements are generated based on operating multiple transmitters and multiple receivers of a resistivity logging tool at a tool depth in a wellbore in the subterranean region. A first pair of the subsurface boundary locations are determined based on a first measurement associated with a first transmitter-receiver spacing. A second, different pair of the subsurface boundary locations are determined based on a second measurement associated with a second, longer transmitter-receiver spacing. The first pair of subsurface boundary locations reside between the second pair of subsurface boundary locations in the subterranean region.
US09678229B2

A neutron detector module comprising a distribution of proportional counters positioned in a defined array. Each of the proportional counters includes a supply of a neutron sensitive gas for reacting with neutrons, and this reaction generates ionizing reaction products. The proportional counters include a multitude of tubes, and each of the tubes has a diameter between 0.50 inch and 1.00 inch. The neutron detector module comprises further a multitude of electrical conductors; and each of the conductors is positioned in one of the proportional counters, and the ionizing reaction products generate electric current pulses in the electrical conductors.
US09678217B2

Various embodiments are described herein for a radiation dosimetry apparatus and associated methods for measuring radiation dose. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes multiple scintillating elements for detecting amounts of radiation dose at multiple points within a detection region. Each of the scintillating elements generates light in response to radiation interacting within their volume. A light guide combines the light generated by all of the scintillating elements as well as radiation-induced contaminated optical energy and transmits the combined light to a spectral analysis setup. Multi or hyper-spectral calibration technique allows calculating the dose or dose rate at the positions of the different scintillating elements. The calibration technique isolates the light produced by a given scintillating element from the other scintillating elements as well as any other source of radiation-induced contaminating light.
US09678210B2

A motion determination system is disclosed. The system may calculate one or more visual-odometry outputs. The system may determine a plurality of figure of merits, wherein each of the plurality of figure of merits is associated with one of a plurality of parameters affecting the calculation of the one or more visual-odometry outputs, and each of the plurality of figure of merits is indicative of an accuracy of the visual-odometry outputs. The system may calculate a combined figure of merit based on the plurality of figure of merits. The system may calculate an error estimate for the one or more visual-odometry outputs based on the combined figure of merit.
US09678202B2

An apparatus is disclosed for measuring the position of a vehicle or a surface thereof on a roadway. The apparatus comprises at least one radar transmitter, which is arranged in a transmitting position above the plane of the roadway and transmits radar beams downwardly, a plurality of radar receivers, which are distributed above the plane of the roadway in different receiving positions at distances from one another, receive reflections of the radar beams from beneath, and convert the reflections into a received signal, and an evaluation device, which is connected to the radar transmitter and the radar receivers and is configured to measure the said position from the transmitting position, the receiving positions and the received signals.
US09678195B2

A method of determining of a true time of arrival of an energy pulse in a positioning system using arrivals times of such pulses at a device after emission of the pulses from respective transmitters. A sampled signal is cross-correlated with the expected form of the energy pulse from the transmitter, and a highest peak in the correlated signal is located and selected to represent a possible time of arrival of the energy pulse. A sequentially preceding peak in the correlated signal is then selected has its magnitude compared with a threshold. This step is repeated until the magnitude of the currently selected peak is less than the threshold, at which point the last-selected peak whose magnitude exceeded the threshold marks the true time of arrival. This process avoids false time of arrival readings caused by reflected pulses.
US09678193B2

Innovative new methods in connection with lighter-than-air (LTA) free floating platforms, of facilitating legal transmitter operation, platform flight termination when appropriate, environmentally acceptable landing, and recovery of these devices are provided. The new systems and methods relate to rise rate control, geo-location from a LTA platform including landed payload and ground-based vehicle locations, and steerable recovery systems.
US09678192B2

A capacitive sensor includes a transmit electrode configured to provide an alternating electric field to a sensor; one or more receive electrodes for detecting variations in the alternating electric field; and an adaptive frequency adjustment unit configured to adjust an operating frequency of the alternating electric field responsive to detection of a noise measure, such as noise power.
US09678190B2

A system and method for generating MR phase contrast images near metal include an MRI apparatus that includes an MRI system having a plurality of gradient coils and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly. The MRI apparatus also includes a computer programmed to acquire a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) MR data sets and to generate a plurality of frequency images based on the plurality of 3D MR data sets. Each 3D MR data set is acquired using a central transmit frequency and a central receive frequency set to an offset frequency value that is distinct for each 3D MR data set. The computer is also programmed to convert the plurality of frequency images to a plurality of time domain images and to generate a phase image based on the plurality of time domain images.
US09678187B2

An object of the present invention is to suppress artifacts generated by correction of spectral distortion induced by eddy currents in MRI devices with a simple method, and thereby improve accuracy of the correction.
US09678184B2

In order to reduce image quality deterioration due to static magnetic field inhomogeneity according to imaging conditions without increasing an operator workload, shimming current where static magnetic field inhomogeneity of a selected region is reduced is calculated, shimming is performed for the selected region using the calculated local Bo shimming current, and then an increment (RF-Phase) in an irradiation phase of an RF pulse that excites the selected region in a state where static magnetic field inhomogeneity of the selected region is reduced or a post-adjustment excitation frequency (f0′) that is an excitation frequency is calculated. These increments (RF-Phase) in an irradiation phase and post-adjustment excitation frequency (f0′) that is an excitation frequency correspond with each other in amount.
US09678181B2

A method for shimming a magnetic field in a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) device includes determining a field of view region for an object under examination. Determining the field of view region includes adapting the field of view region automatically to a region of the object under examination to be examined by the MRT device. Before the MRT device records an image, an adjustment measurement of the magnetic field is performed. A field map of the magnetic field of the field of view region is defined based on the adjustment measurement. A shimming of the magnetic field is implemented based on the field map.
US09678176B2

Embodiments relate to xMR sensors, sensor elements and structures, and methods. In an embodiment, a sensor element comprises a non-elongated xMR structure; and a plurality of contact regions formed on the xMR structure spaced apart from one another such that a non-homogeneous current direction and current density distribution are induced in the xMR structure when a voltage is applied between the plurality of contact regions.
US09678164B2

To learn a parameter of a simulation model of a battery efficiently. A battery internal state estimating apparatus, estimating an internal state of a battery based on a simulation model of the battery, includes a storing section (RAM10c) that stores a plurality of parameters of the simulation model, a detecting section (I/F10d) that detects a discharge current flowing from the battery to a load, a selecting section (CPU 10a) that selects a parameter to be subjected to adaptive learning based on a value of the discharge current detected by the detecting section, and an adaptive learning section (CPU 10a) that performs adapting learning on a parameter selected by the selecting section.
US09678162B2

Some embodiments relate to a load control module that includes an enclosure and a plurality of power switching devices within the enclosure. The load control module further includes an interface mounted on an exterior of the enclosure and a switch connected to the interface. The switch is connected to the interface such that the switch selectively activates the interface to permit testing of the power switching devices upon operation of the interface. In some embodiments, the load control module may include a display that provides information relating to whether the interface is activated by the switch. Other embodiments relate to a load control module that includes a generator having a controller which controls operation of the generator and provides commands to the switch to selectively activate the interface to permit testing of the power switching device upon operation of the interface.
US09678158B2

An apparatus for testing a package-on-package semiconductor device includes a top cover, a lower base, a heat dissipation module, and a plurality of probes. The lower base is disposed under the top cover so as to form an internal accommodation space for receiving an upper chip. The heat dissipation module includes a heat sink arranged in the internal accommodation space and attached to an upper surface of the upper chip. The probes are arranged in the lower base so as to electrically connect the upper chip with a lower chip. By the heat sink arranged in the internal accommodation space formed of the top cover and the lower base, heat generated from the upper chip during operation of the upper chip can be greatly dissipated so that the performance and the service life of the upper chip can be improved.
US09678156B2

A method for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in an integrated circuit or circuit assembly in scan-test or self-test mode, where N>1, each clock domain having one capture clock and a plurality of scan cells, each capture clock comprising a plurality of capture clock pulses; said method comprising: (a) generating and shifting-in N test stimuli to all said scan cells within said N clock domains in said integrated circuit or circuit assembly during a shift-in operation; (b) applying an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all said scan cells within said N clock domains, the ordered sequence of capture clocks comprising at least a plurality of capture clock pulses from two or more selected capture clocks placed in a sequential order such that all clock domains are never triggered simultaneously during a capture operation; and (c) analyzing output responses of all said scan cells to locate any faults therein.
US09678152B2

A scan chain latch circuit, a method of operating a latch circuit in a scan chain, and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure defining a scan chain latch circuit for instantiation on a semiconductor die are disclosed. In an embodiment, the scan chain latch circuit comprises a first latch for holding one data value, a second latch for holding another data value, and a multiplexor. The one data value is applied to a first data input of the multiplexor and the another data value is applied to a second data input of the multiplexor. An alternating clock signal is applied to a select input of the multiplexor to control the output of the multiplexor, wherein the output of the multiplexor toggles between the two data values held in the two latches at a defined frequency.
US09678149B2

A probe core includes a frame, a wire guide connected to the frame, a probe tile, and a plurality of probe wires supported by the wire guide and probe tile. Each probe wire includes an end configured to probe a device, such as a semiconductor wafer. Each probe wire includes a signal transmitting portion and a guard portion. The probe core further includes a lock mechanism supported by the frame. The lock mechanism is configured to allow the probe core to be connected and disconnected to another test equipment or component, such as a circuit board. As one example, the probe core is configured to connect and disconnect from the test equipment or component in a rotatable lock and unlock operation or twist lock/unlock operation, where the frame is rotated relative to remainder of the core to lock/unlock the probe core.
US09678137B2

Methods and systems for monitoring contact joint integrity in an information handling system may include precisely monitoring a change in resistance of a resistive element associated with a contact joint. The change in resistance of the resistive element may be indicative of the integrity of the contact joint. The resistance may be measured using a modulated current source and by demodulating a voltage signal resulting from the modulated current flowing across the resistive element.
US09678128B2

A noise test apparatus includes a ground plate, a base plate including a ground plate, the ground plate being configured to support a display panel. A first antenna configured to receive electromagnetic waves irradiated by the display panel and disposed on the base plate adjacent to a first side of the ground plate. A second antenna configured to receive the electromagnetic waves irradiated by the display panel and disposed on the base plate adjacent to a second side of the ground plate, the second side extending substantially perpendicular to the first side.
US09678120B2

Methods and systems may provide for receiving a set of voltage samples corresponding to a line voltage of a leg in an electrical system and conducting a time domain analysis to identify one or more loads in the electrical system. Additionally, the time domain analysis may be used to identify one or more loads in the electrical system. In one example, conducting the time domain analysis involves classifying events with respect to cross correlation, shape magnitude, transient amplitude, transient duration, run delta and/or standard deviation.
US09678119B2

A shock detector having an electrical detector having a set of water immersible electrodes for detecting hazardous water conditions through the determination of the presence of either an electrical current in a body of water, a voltage in the body of water or a voltage gradient in the body of water and then providing an alert to the existence of hazardous electrical conditions in the body of water which in some cases may transmitted to a power source to shut off a power source thereby removing the hazardous water condition.
US09678118B2

A method is disclosed for checking the absence of voltage on a power electronic component connected to a high-voltage battery and to an electrical machine in a high-voltage network of a motor vehicle, which component has a higher voltage than a low-voltage network of the motor vehicle. The power electronic component includes an intermediate circuit capacitor, a passive discharge resistor, a plug-in terminal for at least one high-voltage load and a fuse which is connected upstream of the plug-in terminal. Following disconnection of the high-voltage battery from the high-voltage network and when the connector of the cable plugged into the plug-in terminal is withdrawn from the plug-in terminal or a target terminal, a feed voltage is applied via the high-voltage contacts of the plug connection and the voltage curve and/or, after a defined charging time interval of the intermediate circuit capacitor, the resistance is measured by means of a measuring instrument, wherein an absence of voltage is determined in the event of a voltage curve lying in an intended range or a resistance lying in an intended range.
US09678112B2

A method and a device for measuring electrical differential currents, which in addition to the alternating current component also contain a direct current component, by means of an inductive differential current transformer.The known methods for measuring mixed currents require special current transformer designs with respect to the coil winding and magnetic core material and core number. The new method copes with the same current transformers that are common for measuring pure differential alternating currents.According to the invention, the secondary coil (3) of the current transformer is controlled such that the magnetic flux (φ) linked with the secondary coil (3) inside the core remains constant, irrespective of the differential current and the secondary current (Is) required for this is measured. For this, on the one hand, the ohmic resistor (Rcu) of the secondary coil (3) is compensated in the secondary circuit (4) by an electronically produced, negative resistor (Rz), and on the other hand a defined magnetic flux is periodically restored, in that the saturation flux (φs) of the core is used as a reference point.
US09678109B2

An apparatus and a method are disclosed herein. The apparatus is disclosed that includes a probe head and a circuit board. The probe head includes a metal housing and pins. The pins penetrate through the metal housing. The circuit board is configured to test a semiconductor device and includes a ground pad. The ground pad is electrically coupled between the metal housing and the circuit board.
US09678106B2

The terminals of a device under test (DUT) are temporarily electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on a load board by a series of electrically conductive pin pairs. The pin pairs are held in place by an interposer membrane with a top facing the device under test, a bottom facing the load board, and a vertically resilient, non-conductive member between the top and bottom contact plates. Each pin pair includes a top and bottom pin, which extend beyond the top and bottom contact plates, respectively, toward the device under test and the load board, respectively. The bottom pins has a lower contact surface which includes an arcuate portion or ridge which increases contact pressure and ablates oxides by the rocking action of ridge when the DUT in inserted.
US09678104B2

A scanning probe microscope capable of controlling a decrease of the resolution of an objective lens disposed in the scanning probe microscope, and capable of easily carrying out the adjustment of an optical axis of an optical lever using the objective lens. The scanning probe microscope includes: a cantilever having a probe; a light source part radiating beams; a first reflective part reflecting an incident beam (L0) and guiding the incident beam to a reflective surface; a light receiving part receiving the beams; a second reflective part reflecting a reflected beam (L1) and guiding the reflected beam to the light receiving part; and an objective lens disposed to face the cantilever and adopted to observe and capture an area around the cantilever, the objective lens having the number of openings of NA, wherein the first reflective part is disposed at a position between the objective lens and the cantilever.
US09678102B2

A method is provided for calibrating an inertial sensing unit of a device utilizing a vision sensing unit integral to the device. The method includes receiving inertial sensing input data from the inertial sensing unit, receiving vision sensing input data from the vision unit, and determining when the received vision sensing input data represents a predetermined input state of the vision sensing unit. The method includes estimating an error value in the inertial sensing input data received from the inertial sensing unit based on the received vision sensing input data upon determination that the received vision sensing input data represents the predetermined vision sensing input state. The method further includes adjusting first subsequent received inertial sensing input data from the inertial sensing unit based on the estimated error value, thereby calibrating the inertial sensing unit.
US09678095B2

The invention relates to a pipetting device (1) for an automatic analysis appliance, wherein the pipetting device (1) comprises a pipetting needle (2) with a longitudinal axis (3), and a device (4) for moving the pipetting needle (2). The pipetting device (1) further comprises a holder (5) for the pipetting needle (2), which holder (5) is mounted on the movable device (4) and to which holder the pipetting needle (2) is releasably connected, and a vibration generator which can set at least the tip of the pipetting needle (2) in vibration, wherein the vibration generator is mounted on the movable device (4).
US09678094B2

The invention relates to apparatus for determining the position of an automatically displaceable gauge. The apparatus comprises the gauge, a first device for displacing the gauge in the spatial X-direction, a second device for displacing the gauge in a spatial Z-direction, a sensor for identifying the abutment of the gauge on, or the approach thereof to, an article, an at least partly bordered receptacle position, into which the gauge is at least partly insertable by displacing the gauge in the spatial X- and/or Z-direction, and a movable assembly, wherein the receptacle position for the gauge is arranged on the movable assembly.
US09678079B2

A microfluidic testing cartridge for testing LAL-reactive substances in fluid samples is provided. The cartridge may include at least two (2) testing modules, wherein each testing module includes at least one inlet port for receiving one of the fluid samples, and at least four (4) testing channels in fluid communication with the inlet port. Each of the testing channels may include a metering portion for metering an aliquot of the fluid sample, an analyzing portion, and a mixing portion, wherein a valve is positioned between the metering portion and the analyzing portion to selectively fluidly separate the metering portion from the analyzing portion. The cartridge is insertable into an optical reader which performs optical measurements of the fluid sample within each testing channel during a testing process.
US09678075B2

The present invention pertains to the field of cancer prediction. Specifically, it relates to a method for predicting the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer in a subject after treatment of bladder cancer comprising the steps of determining the amount of at least one biomarker selected from the biomarkers shown in Table, and comparing the amount of said at least one biomarker with a reference amount for said at least one biomarker, whereby the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer is to be predicted. The present invention also contemplates a method for identifying a subject being in need of a further bladder cancer therapy. Encompassed are, furthermore, diagnostic devices and kits for carrying out said methods.
US09678063B2

The subject of the present invention is a novel use of a nematode in the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of bacteriophage preparations used in, or capable of being used in the treatment of infections caused by pathogenic bacteria in humans or animals.
US09678058B2

The present invention relates to a diagnostic method and breath-testing device for the diagnosis of Celiac Disease or other gastrointestinal malabsorption in adults and children, and uses a hydrogen selective sensor in the form of a ZnO nanowire-based sensor fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB/SEM) instrument or a thin film.
US09678051B2

The present invention is a method for distinguishing, classifying and measuring soft and hard inclusions in a liquid metal that includes obtaining a flow through cell disposed on a tube with a top to allow the liquid metal to flow through the flow through cell and into the tube. There is also a mounting and a vacuum system disposed on top of the tube to draw the liquid metal through the flow through cell and into the tube that utilizes a pair of electrodes set inside and outside of the tube to apply an electric current to the liquid metal passing through the flow through cell. An electric resistance change is then measured and an electric resistance pulse is applied to the liquid metal to measure deformed behavior of the inclusions. The resistance pulse method can be used with liquid droplets, steel slag, bubbles and other deformable inclusions.
US09678048B2

Disclosed is a method of evaluating a final equilibrium pH of a contaminated soil on site by using a paste pH. The method includes measuring the paste pH by adding a solution to the contaminated soil, and evaluating the final equilibrium pH according to an initial pH by applying the paste pH to Final ⁢ ⁢ equilibrium ⁢ ⁢ pH = ( paste ⁢ ⁢ pH + 1 ) × exp ⁡ ( - 1 initial ⁢ ⁢ pH ) - exp ⁡ ( - 1 ⁢ ( paste ⁢ ⁢ pH + 1 ) initital ⁢ ⁢ pH ) , Equation ⁢ ⁢ 1 in which the initial pH is a predetermined integer in a range of 1 to 10.
US09678045B2

Provided are devices, systems, and methods for the testing of materials and structures. For example, the devices, systems, and methods are optionally used for the non-destructive testing of a material or structure. Furthermore, the devices, systems, and methods may optionally use a high-amplitude, air-coupled acoustic source for non-destructive testing of materials and structures.
US09678044B2

A method of measuring acoustic energy impinging upon a cable includes, interrogating at least one optical fiber of the cable with electromagnetic energy, the at least one optical fiber is nonconcentrically surrounded by and strain locked to a sheath of the cable, monitoring electromagnetic energy returned in the at least one optical fiber, and determining acoustic energy impinging on the cable.
US09678043B2

A method may involve positioning a fixture over a portion of a tube portion of a gasket, where the gasket includes a first lip portion joined to a second lip portion by a weld of the gasket and the first lip portion joined to the second lip portion defines the tube portion, where the fixture comprises a housing and an injection port; positioning an ultrasonic probe in the housing; filling, by the injection port, coupling fluid between the ultrasonic probe and the tube portion of the gasket; and scanning at least a portion of the weld with the ultrasonic probe, where scanning the at least a portion of the weld may involve transmitting, by the ultrasonic probe, a plurality of ultrasonic waves through the coupling fluid into the tube portion, and translating the fixture in a longitudinal direction along the tube portion of the gasket.
US09678040B2

A rotating magnetic field Hall apparatus is provided and includes first and second magnets disposed in a master-slave configuration, a device-under-test (DUT) stage interposable between the first and second magnets on which a DUT is disposable in first or second orientations for Hall measurement or photoelectromagnetic (PEM) testing, respectively, controllers disposed to center the DUT stage between the first and second magnets and orthogonal magnetic field sensors disposed aside lateral sides of the first magnet to facilitate positional initialization of the first and second magnets and to generate in-phase and out-of-phase reference signals for phase-sensitive or lock-in Hall signal detection. The system also includes software system to perform signal processing to yield the final Hall signal.
US09678029B2

The exposure of an aircraft component to an oxidation catalyst, such as a deicing solution, may be detected with the aid of an electrical conductivity sensor. In some examples, a system includes an aircraft component, an electrical conductivity sensor mechanically connected to the aircraft component and configured to generate an output, and a processor configured to detect an oxidation catalyst exposure event based on the output generated by the electrical conductivity sensor. The electrical conductivity sensor may be configured and positioned to generate a signal indicative of electrical conductivity of a substance to which the aircraft component is exposed. The processor may be configured to detect an oxidation catalyst exposure event by at least determining whether the electrical conductivity indicated by the signal is greater than or equal to a predetermined conductivity threshold value.
US09678022B2

An imaging system including an imaging device having a field of view, an object positioned in the field of view, the object defining a void, and a nonaqueous radiopaque fluid in the void.
US09678021B2

In optical dark field defect inspection, the present invention provides including: condensing laser emitted from a light source in a line shape; reflecting the laser, with a mirror; irradiating the reflected laser via an objective lens to a sample placed on a table from a vertical direction; condensing reflected scattered light from the sample with the objective lens; shielding diffraction light occurred from a periodical pattern formed on the sample, in the reflected scattered light from the sample and scattered light occurred from the mirror, with a spatial filter; receiving the reflected scattered light from the sample, not shielded with the spatial filter, with an imaging lens, and forming an image of the reflected scattered light; detecting the image of the reflected scattered light; and processing a detection signal obtained by detecting the image of the reflected scattered light and detecting a defect on the sample.
US09678011B2

System for visualization of conformal contact. The system visualizes conformal contact between a patterned stamp and a transparent impression surface. A patterned stamp is provided that includes a fluorescent structure for contact with the impression surface. A source of UV light is provided for transmission through the transparent impression surface to interact with the fluorescent structure to generate visible light re-emitted by the fluorescent structure. An imaging system captures the visible light to form a high-contrast image of an area of conformal contact between the patterned stamp and the impression surface. The high-contrast image comprises bright and dark regions representing contact and no contact respectively.
US09678003B2

Systems and methods for measuring the isotope ratio of one or more trace gases and/or components of gas mixtures such as different gas species present in a gas mixture. The system includes a resonant optical cavity having two or more mirrors and containing a gas, the cavity having a free spectral range that equals the difference between frequencies of two measured absorption lines of different gas species in the gas, or of two different isotopes, divided onto an integer number. The system also includes a continuous-wave tunable laser optically coupled with the resonant optical cavity, and a detector system for measuring an absorption of laser light by the gas in the cavity. The detector system includes one of a photo-detector configured to measure an intensity of the intra-cavity light or both a photo-acoustic sensor configured to measure photo-acoustic waves generated in the cavity and a photo-detector configured to measure an intensity of the intra-cavity light.
US09677999B2

A system for increasing light throughput in cavity enhanced spectrometry, and a model for cavity enhanced absorption measurements are presented. The cavity has an entrance mirror, an opposed exit mirror and a detector positioned adjacent the exit mirror. An input aperture is defined in the entrance mirror to allow light from a source to enter the cavity. The input aperture improves light throughput without significant departure from the theoretically predicted amplification of absorbance. This results in improvement of detection limits, even with mirrors of modest reflectivity and inexpensive detectors.
US09677989B2

The present invention, provides a flow cytometry apparatus for the detection of particles from a plurality of samples comprising: means for moving a plurality of samples comprising particles from a plurality of respective source wells into a fluid flow stream; means for introducing a separation gas between each of the plurality of samples in the fluid flow stream; and means for selectively analyzing each of the plurality of samples for the particles. The present invention also provides a flow cytometry method employing such an apparatus.
US09677986B1

Described are techniques and systems for determining presence of airborne particles using one or more sensors on a user device. The airborne particles include, but are not limited to, smoke resulting from combustion, dust, fog, and so forth. In one implementation, an optical proximity sensor may be used to determine a distance to an object such as a ceiling. Smoke which collects on the ceiling reflects light that is detected by the proximity sensor and results in an apparent reduction in height. A notification of this change in height may be generated. In other implementations, other techniques may be used to detect airborne particles, such as images from a camera, dedicated particular sensors, and so forth. Information about airborne particles may aid user safety. For example, an alarm may be issued indicating a potential fire or unsafe level of pollution.
US09677985B2

An apparatus applicable to a storage container is provided and includes a filtering cartridge, a gas supply device and a particle counter. The filtering cartridge is configured to be disposed on the storage container. The filtering cartridge includes a flexible housing and a filter. The flexible housing has a first portion and a second portion opposite to the first portion. The flexible housing includes a gas inlet, a first gas outlet and a second gas outlet. The gas inlet is disposed on the first portion. The first gas outlet is disposed on the first portion. The second gas outlet is disposed on the second portion and connected to the storage container. The filter is disposed over the second gas outlet. The gas supply device is connected to the gas inlet, thereby purging gas into the flexible housing. The particle counter is connected to the first gas outlet.
US09677979B2

Systems and methods are described for isolation, separation and detection of a molecular species using a low resource device for processing of samples. Methods include isolation, separation and detection of a molecular species for protein-protein, DNA-DNA and other chemical interactions.
US09677975B2

A sampling assembly configured to be coupled to a sample source and facilitate aseptic sampling at one or more instances in time is provided. Further, the sampling assembly includes a first conduit having first and second ports, where the first port is configured to be coupled to the sample source. The sampling assembly also includes a plurality of sub-conduits having corresponding sub-ports, where each of the plurality of sub-conduits is operatively coupled to the first conduit at respective connector junctions. Also, each of the sub-ports is in fluidic communication with the first conduit. The sampling assembly also includes a plurality of sampling kits and one or more pumping devices. Further, each sampling kit is operatively coupled to a respective sub-port of a corresponding sub-conduit. Moreover, the one or more pumping devices are operatively and aseptically coupled to the second port of the first conduit.
US09677957B2

A serial weak FBG interrogator is disclosed. The serial weak FBG interrogator may include a CW tunable laser or pulsed laser utilized as a laser source and an EDFA. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also be an interrogation of a single sensor system by utilization of a DFB laser which utilizes a single sensor, which may be an interferometer sensor, an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer or a wavelength-modulated sensor. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also include a computer system or CSPU.
US09677953B2

A package having a recessed section, a sensor element arranged in the recessed section and having a piezoelectric material, a lid joined to the package and sealing the recessed section of the package are provided. The package has a first hollow portion which a part of the sensor element fits with, on an inner bottom surface of the recessed section. The lid has a second hollow portion which a part of the sensor element fits with.
US09677934B2

A method for deriving a background-corrected portion of a measured optical emission spectrum comprising the steps of identifying two or more background correction points from the portion of the measured emission spectrum; deriving a background correction function fitted to the identified background correction points, and applying the background correction function to the portion of the measured emission spectrum so as to produce a background-corrected portion of the emission spectrum, wherein the background correction points are identified from the measured data points by consideration of the gradients between the measured data points.
US09677932B2

A spectrograph that includes a first mirror having flat a mirror reflective surface and positioned to reflect light traversing a prism, a second mirror having a concave-shaped reflective mirror surface and positioned to reflect light received from the first mirror, a third mirror having a convex-shaped reflective mirror surface and positioned to receive light reflected by the second mirror, a fourth mirror having a spheroidal reflective mirror surface and positioned to receive light reflected by the third mirror, and a field lens comprising a concave mirror surface in combination with a convex mirror surface, wherein light received by said field lens from said fourth mirror enters said convex mirror surface, traverses said field lens, and exits from said concave mirror surface. The fifth mirror is positioned such that the second mirror, third mirror, fourth mirror, and fifth mirror share a common vertex axis.
US09677931B2

A radiation detection device integrates the number of optical photons in a light pulse. The radiation detection device includes an optical detector pixel array which has a plurality of pixel cells that are triggered by optical photons, a plurality of pixel cell trigger state sensing circuits, and a summing unit. Each pixel cell trigger state sensing circuit generates a digital signal having either a first predetermined amplitude indicative of a triggered pixel cell, or a second predetermined amplitude indicative of a non-triggered pixel cell. The summing unit generates an analog signal whose amplitude corresponds to the number of triggered pixel cells and thereby performs the integration. The analog signal may further cause a timing unit to generate a timestamp when a predetermined accumulated optical photon count condition is met.
US09677928B2

A system, device and method for fitness tracking include one or more insoles, the one or more insoles having embedded therein a plurality of sensors; a computer having a processor and memory; and one or more code sets stored in the memory and executing by the processor, which, when executed, configure the processor to: receive, as inputs, data collected from the plurality of sensors embedded in the one or more insoles; filter the data; execute an evolutionary algorithm on the data, wherein the evolutionary algorithm converges the data from the plurality of sensors; and determine, based on the converged data, a total weight applied to the one or more insoles.
US09677925B2

A housing of a liquid level detection device includes an inner case, which has a first wall portion, and a terminal, which has a projection that extends through the first wall portion and projects to an outside of the inner case. The first wall portion and the projection are covered with a covering portion. A first seal film, which connects between an outer peripheral surface of the projection and the first wall portion, is formed in an inside of the covering portion. A film thickness of the first seal film along an edge line of the terminal progressively increases toward the first wall portion.
US09677921B2

A method of manufacturing a Coriolis mass flowmeter from a polymeric material is described, in which a dynamically responsive manifold is fabricated from the same material as the flow sensor's flow-sensitive elements. The flowmeter is free of mechanical joints and adhesives. The manifold and flow-sensitive elements therefore do not slip or change their location relative one another, nor are they subject to differing degrees of thermal expansion that would otherwise undermine integrity, reliability, and/or accuracy of the boundary condition at the ends of the vibrating flow-sensitive elements.
US09677916B2

An optical coupler includes at least one input waveguide and a plurality of output waveguides. The optical coupler spatially disperses optical signals carried on the input waveguide according to wavelength to the output waveguides. The input waveguides and the output waveguides are arranged to provide crosstalk between optical signals carried on the output waveguides.
US09677911B2

At least one embodiment relates to magnetic field sensors being operable at different calibration modes, wherein the magnetic sensor is capable of switching between the different calibration modes during normal operation of the sensor. The switching may be possible in response to different motion types detected within the sensor. Such sensors may be used in vehicles such as cars, the sensors for example being part of the engine control system or the ABS. Another embodiment relates to a method of changing calibration modes during operation of sensors.
US09677900B2

Disclosed is a method and device for providing a route guidance. Information on a plurality of user inputted route points may be obtained. One or more reference points, such as landmarks, may be determined based at least on the obtained information. Route guidance may be provided, which includes information on the reference points, thereby providing users with a more intuitive route guidance.
US09677896B2

A fuel saving-aimed motor vehicle driver assistance system configured to receive and process motor vehicle-related data and motor vehicle position-related data to identify recurrent routes of a motor vehicle and to provide a motor vehicle driver, via an automotive human-machine interface, with motor vehicle driving assistance recommendations for fuel saving along the routes. The motor vehicle driver assistance system is configured to identify recurrent routes of the motor vehicle by determining a succession of geographic points, referred to as Waypoints, along a route of the motor vehicle, at which values of a series of physical quantities are determined and recorded, which define the attributes of the Waypoints. The Waypoint attributes are then updated when the vehicle travels through them. For each current motor vehicle position, a search is made for the Waypoint spatially closest to the current motor vehicle position and having certain characteristics, such that if such a Waypoint is not found, then a new Waypoint is defined, or else, if such a Waypoint is found, then variable Waypoint attributes are updated. The so-defined Waypoints are then concatenated so as to form an ordered list of Waypoints belonging to the same recurrent route. The characteristic points of the routes, such as bends, roundabouts and traffic lights, are identified and optimal speed profiles and primary controls for the motor vehicle at the characteristic points are computed. Based on the computed optimal speed profiles and primary controls and by means of the automotive human-machine interface, the motor vehicle driver is then provided with motor vehicle driving recommendations for fuel saving along the routes.
US09677893B2

Processing arrangement for managing temporary updates to a map for use by vehicular navigation systems in vehicles in which a communications system at a remote site receives wireless communications from each vehicle including information about presence of an object or condition at a specific location automatically identified at the specific location without requiring manual entry of data about the object or condition at the specific location and that affects movement of vehicles on a roadway. A processor generates a map update for use by vehicular navigation systems based on the identified object or condition at the specific location which is transmitted to any vehicle in a vicinity of the specific location to cause the vehicular navigation system of that vehicle to use a map with the generated map update to display or otherwise indicate the presence of the object or condition at the specific location.
US09677875B2

A method of measuring surface curvature comprises forming an intensity distribution defined by Fresnel diffraction, wherein said intensity distribution is formed by electromagnetic radiation reflected from a surface, obtaining data for the intensity distribution and determining information relating to the curvature of the surface using the obtained data.
US09677874B2

A position-measuring device includes a first scale and a second scale, which are arranged end-to-end to extend across a measurement range, as well as a scanning unit having a light source configured to emit a light beam. The first scale includes a reflective phase grating having first periodic marks which diffract an incident light beam into a predetermined diffraction order with a first diffraction efficiency. The second scale includes a reflective phase grating having second periodic marks that differ in shape from the first periodic marks. A reflectivity of the phase grating of the second scale is reduced compared to a reflectivity of the phase grating of the first scale to such an extent that the phase grating of the second scale diffracts the incident light beam into the predetermined diffraction order with the first diffraction efficiency.
US09677862B2

A multi-stage fragmenting projectile has a number of grooves and slots that are strategically placed on and around the periphery of the projectile. After the projectile engages an object, a first set of fragments separates from a main body of the projectile. A second set of fragments separate a short time later after the projectile has traveled farther in the object.
US09677857B2

This invention concerns a device for the transmission of impulse and momentum, e.g. from a shock wave from an explosion or momentum from objects impacting the device, from one location to another, and is primarily used to protect vehicles, ships, aircrafts and buildings against impulse and/or momentum, for instance in regards to attacks on those with grenades, bombs, mines and the like.The governing physical principles are those of conservation of momentum and energy, and Newton's 3rd Law, claiming that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.When the receiver 1 is accelerated by the incoming shock wave 9 it collides with the transmitter 2, connected to an emitter 3, momentum is transferred to the emitter 3. If the transfer is in itself not sufficient to bring the receiver's 1 velocity to an acceptable level, additional energy and momentum is added through the transmitter 2.
US09677847B2

The present disclosure provides an improved concealed carry clip, that attaches with machine screws to the slide rear cover plate, and which has friction features on the clip to facilitate drawing back the slide with the thumb and index finger. In addition, the cover plate can be equipped with projections that reduce shearing forces on the machine screws. A drilled and tapped replacement rear cover plate is provided with the improved concealed carry clip. Though the improved concealed carry clips have, to date, been designed for Glock®, M&P® and Springfield Armory® XD handguns, the concealed carry clips may be adapted for use on other similarly constructed handguns in the future.
US09677846B1

A firearm bullpup conversion system incorporates a uniquely configured buttstock that conforms to the operator's shoulder or upper arm to reduce the pull length for a given overall stock length. The system also provides for an auxiliary trigger located in front of the action, an integrated cocking and accessory mounting rail, and a trigger safety.
US09677840B2

An augmented reality system in which video imagery of a physical environment is combined with video images output by a game engine by the use of a traveling matte which identifies portions of the visible physical environment by techniques such as Computer vision or chroma keying and replaces them with the video images output by the video game engine. The composited imagery of the physical environment and the video game imagery is supplied to a trainee through a headmounted display screen. Additionally, peripheral vision is preserved either by providing complete binocular display to the limits of peripheral vision, or by providing a visual path to the peripheral vision which is matched in luminance to higher resolution augmented reality images provided by the binocular displays. A software/hardware element comprised of a server control station and a controller onboard the trainee performs the modeling, scenario generation, communications, tracking, and metric generation.
US09677836B2

A reset apparatus for use in a firearm, comprising: a compression spring; a biasing member has a first end and a distal end wherein the compression spring is attached proximate to the first end of the biasing member; a notch disposed on the biasing member for cooperation with a trigger bar, wherein the trigger bar comprises a longitudinal axis defined by a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is mechanically cooperated with a firearm trigger; and wherein the compression spring communicates a force through the biasing member and onto the trigger bar in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trigger bar.
US09677832B2

To provide a liquid cooling system for an electric component mounted in an aircraft, in which a flow rate of a coolant fed to the electric component mounted in the aircraft is optimized by a simple method, a liquid cooling system 1 for an electric component mounted in an aircraft adopts a flow rate adjusting valve which is a thermostat valve 5 such that the opening degree of the valve increases with an increase in the temperature of the coolant flowing into the flow rate adjusting valve so as to raise the flow rate of the coolant fed to the electric component 50, and the opening degree of the valve decreases with a decrease in the temperature of the coolant flowing into the flow rate adjusting valve so as to reduce the flow rate of the coolant fed to the electric component 50.
US09677829B2

The object of the present invention is to provide an excellent total heat exchanging element paper and a total heat exchanging element which are excellent in heat transferability, water vapor permeability and gas barrier properties and cause no mixing of supplied air and discharged air. The present invention provides a total heat exchanging element paper using a paper made using mainly a natural pulp beaten to a Canadian modification freeness of not more than 150 ml, a substantially non-porous total heat exchanging element paper comprising a substantially non-porous cellulosic base which contains a moisture absorbing agent, a non-porous total heat exchanging element paper having a high gas barrier property which has a thickness of not more than 100 μm and a carbon dioxide permeation constant specified in JIS K7126 of not more than 5.0×10−13 mol·m/m2·s·Pa, and a non-porous total heat exchanging element paper having a high enthalpy exchangeability which has a water vapor permeability specified in JIS Z0208 of not less than 1000 g/m2·24 Hr at 20° C. and 65% RH.
US09677826B2

A combo-cooler includes heat exchangers having parallel tubes corresponding to each heat exchanger aligned in a tube plane. A first end tank assembly includes a columnar end tank separated by a baffle into compartments each in fluid communication with a respective hydraulically independent fluid circuit. The second tank assembly includes manifolds aligned in a column. Serially adjacent manifolds are in slidable contact or separated by a respective gap to allow relative translation. Banks of the tubes are brazed in fluid communication with a compartment and a manifold to connect the compartment and the manifold to have a respective fluid flow therethrough. A bracket contacts at least two of the serially adjacent manifolds to prevent translation between the bracket and the serially adjacent manifolds perpendicular to the tube plane and to allow relative translation between the at least two of the serially adjacent manifolds parallel to the tubes.
US09677824B2

Systems according to the present disclosure provide one or more surfaces that function as heat or power radiating surfaces for which at least a portion of the radiating surface includes or is composed of “fractal cells” placed sufficiently closed close together to one another so that a surface (plasmonic) wave causes near replication of current present in one fractal cell in an adjacent fractal cell. A fractal of such a fractal cell can be of any suitable fractal shape and may have two or more iterations. The fractal cells may lie on a flat or curved sheet or layer and be composed in layers for wide bandwidth or multibandwidth transmission. The area of a surface and its number of fractals determines the gain relative to a single fractal cell. The boundary edges of the surface may be terminated resistively so as to not degrade the cell performance at the edges.
US09677821B2

To increase a heat exchange capacity of an indoor heat exchanger without increasing a pressure loss inside tubes of an outdoor heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is constituted by an indoor machine equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 10 constituted by a plurality of heat transfer tubes 12A, which have a spiral grooves 13A formed with a predetermined lead angle Ra on inner faces of the tubes and are made to pierce a plurality of fins 11, and an outdoor machine equipped with an outdoor heat exchanger 20 constituted by a plurality of heat transfer tubes 22A which have a lead angle Rb of spiral grooves 23A smaller than that of a heat transfer tubes 10A used for the indoor heat exchanger 10 and are made to pierce a plurality of fins 11.
US09677809B1

A system and method for storing energy from an electrical grid utilizes a system heat pump at a premises for transferring energy from the grid to a thermal storage reservoir and a premises heat pump that can use the stored energy to provide, for example, heat to the premises. The system heat pump and premises heat pump desirably operate independently of one another so that energy can be transferred to the thermal storage reservoir regardless of whether energy is being withdrawn by the premises heat pump. Plural energy storage systems utilizing respective system and premises heat pumps and thermal storage reservoirs can form a part of the utility customer system with the system heat pumps being operable to shape the load on the electrical grid. A system heat pump can be operated to minimize a customer's bill, or the utility's cost and alternatively to achieve other purposes, depending upon the mode of operation of the system.
US09677806B2

A refrigeration device includes a housing which surrounds a storage compartment; and a container mounted in the storage compartment and including a drawer and a cover, with the cover being height-adjustable between a closed position of the drawer and an open position. The cover is guided on an obliquely sloping path between the closed position and the open position by ramps adjacent to corners of the cover.
US09677804B2

The invention relates to a refrigerating shelving unit, particularly a refrigerating shelf (KR1) for cooling and displaying products to be refrigerated in a cooling chamber (KR1M), including an access region via which the products to be refrigerated are accessible, and a refrigerating device (KR1KE) which includes a condenser (VF) and a compressor (KOM). According to the invention, it is provided that the condenser (VF) is arranged at least partially within the refrigerating shelf (KR1) and in the upper region (HR1) thereof and that the compressor (KOM) is arranged within the refrigerating shelf (KRI) in the lower region (VR) thereof. As a result, interfering noise emissions are reduced and, simultaneously, the packaging of the refrigerating shelving unit at the manufacturing site and the transport to the site of use are simplified.
US09677801B2

A refrigerator is provided, including a body having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment positioned under the refrigerator compartment and separated by a mullion, and a cooling device provided at a lower portion of the refrigerator compartment, with a cold air passage guiding cold air to the cooling device. The cooling device may include a case having an open front surface, an agitating assembly disposed in the case and swinging about a rotational axis that is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the case, an agitating mechanism electrically or mechanically connected with the agitating assembly to swing the agitating assembly, a fan motor assembly mounted at a rear end of the case and supplying cold air into the case, and a cover selectively opening or closing the opened front surface of the case. An intake port and a discharge port of the cold air passage communicate with the freezer compartment.
US09677799B2

A refrigeration and air-conditioning apparatus rapidly varies the pressure or the temperature inside a liquid reserve container to identify a liquid level position inside the liquid reserve container on the basis of the surface temperature of the liquid reserve container.
US09677796B2

A subassembly of a refrigeration system includes a frame having a plurality of support members and one or more cross members, each cross member extending between two of the support members. A heat exchanger is operable to condense refrigerant. A compressor is supported by the frame and operable to provide refrigerant to the heat exchanger. A portion of the frame is configured to receive and contain refrigerant condensed by the heat exchanger.
US09677791B2

The invention relates to an absorption refrigeration machine (10) that includes an evaporator (12) and an absorber (18) and is characterized in that the evaporator (12) comprises at least one evaporating unit (12′) having a coolant channel (26), through which the coolant (16) flows and which is delimited at least in part by a heat-conducting, vapor- and liquid-tight wall (24), and having at least one refrigerant channel (28) that adjoins the heat-conducting wall (24), is loaded with the refrigerant (14), and is separated from a vapor chamber (32) by a vapor-permeable, liquid-tight membrane wall (30) on the side of the refrigerant channel opposite the heat-conducting wall (24), and in that the absorber (18) comprises an absorption unit (18′) having a cooling-medium channel, through which a cooling medium (34) flows and which is delimited at least in part by a heat-conducting, vapor- and liquid-tight wall (36), and having an absorption channel (40) which adjoins the heat-conducting wall and to which the concentrated, low-refrigerant pair of working substances (22) is fed and which is loaded with refrigerant vapor (20) from the vapor chamber (32) via a vapor-permeable, liquid-tight membrane wall (42) provided on the side of the absorption channel opposite the heat-conducting wall (36).
US09677786B2

The invention relates to a field of open-flow solar collectors, and specifically to flat solar collectors with wetting the underneath sides of their solar radiation absorbing plates with liquid heat transfer medium. More specifically, the invention proposes the flat solar collector, which operates with relatively low flow rate of the heat transfer medium on the underneath side of the solar radiation absorbing plate, with flow in form of some rivulets. The invention describes some technical solutions, which restrict meandering rivulets' flow. The proposed flat solar collector can be applied for heating water or other liquids and for evaporation and concentration of aqueous solutions.
US09677782B1

A fan system for a variable air volume heating and/or air conditioning unit comprising a fan array with a control system to eliminate surge at low operating flows and to maximize operating range. The fan control system includes a fan pressure sensor for determining the pressure rise across the fan array and a fan airflow sensor for determining the total airflow generated by the fan array. A surge controller is programmed to constantly monitor the calculated surge pressure as the fan speed control is modulating the fan speed in response to user demands. As airflow increases or decreases in response to changes in fan speed, so will the calculated surge pressure. The surge control turn fans on and off to ensure that the operating fans are running in their optimum fan speed ranges. Thus, the fans in the fan array are prevented from reaching the surge point.
US09677778B2

A modular heating and cooling unit comprising an independent set of headers for each of the heating and cooling loads and the source. A bank of these modular units provides a system that is capable of incremental simultaneous heating and cooling and redundancy. Valves in the internal piping of the unit eliminate the need for valves in the headers between units. This substantially reduces the overall footprint of the unit. Because of the parallel flow between the heat exchangers and the heating and cooling load, the modules can be operated in cooling mode and heating mode in any order.
US09677772B2

An improved control system for a range hood that is capable of automatically responding to various air quality parameters including heat, smoke, carbon monoxide, humidity, and others. The system contains a number of features that, combining aspects of open-loop and closed loop control, manage the system dynamics for smoother operation, respond to both level and rate signals and compensate for background conditions and sensor variability by using relative values.
US09677769B2

Disclosed is a cooking device having a flexible sequence control for automatic cleaning of an oven cavity. A customizing aspect allows for the inputting of values for a combination of parameters of a cleaning system. These parameters may include degree of soiling, cleaning time, energy consumption, water consumption, cleaner consumption, rinse agent consumption, and/or overall cost of cleaning. The sets of parameters can be entered, saved and recalled, or deleted. While setting values of the parameters, any undefined parameter(s) are automatically changed accordingly to achieve an optimal result. Unreasonable or impossible combinations of parameters are blocked. The parameters may be visualized as user friendly touch-activated bars. Selection can be made from several optimizing options, such as cost optimization, time optimization, resource optimization, and ecological optimization that reduce the consumption of resources.
US09677763B2

Oxycombustion process wherein low ranking, gaseous, liquid, solid, optionally solid melting hydrocarbon fractions are used as fuels, having a vanadium content in an amount by weight from 50 to 5,000 ppm or higher, for producing energy, wherein magnesium is added as oxide, or as a water-soluble salt, the combustor being refractored and isotherm or quasi isotherm, flameless, working at temperatures comprised between 1,250° C. and 1,450° C. and under pressurized conditions, wherein the oxidant is oxygen, the oxidant being used in admixture with water or steam such that the ratio by moles oxidant:(water-steam) is comprised between about 1:0.4 and about 1:3 or the oxidant is used in admixture with flue gases recycled from the flue gases outletting the energy recovery equipments, wherein the water amount is higher than 30% by volume, optionally by adding water, the molar ratio oxidant:(water/steam) in flue gases being comprised from about 1:0.4 to about 1:3; the low ranking hydrocarbon fraction containing vanadium is fed in admixture with water or steam, such that the amount of water/steam in the mixture is at least 30% by weight with respect to the hydrocarbon fraction.
US09677762B2

Methods and apparatus relate to control of smoke suppressant flow rate to a flare that disposes of combustible gas, such as waste from refineries and chemical plants. One or more detectors produce signals that enable separate monitoring of both particulate emissions from the flare and combustion efficiency of the flare. Adjusting the flow rate of the smoke suppressant to the flare in response to such dual monitoring facilitates operation of the flare so as to manage environmental pollution caused by unburned volatile organic compounds and smoke emitted from the flare.
US09677761B2

A mixer device for burner equipment includes flow guide means for guiding an air-gas mixture to the intake of a fan rotatable about a first axis, the guide means including a tubular Venturi effect conduit structure with axially symmetric contiguous converging and diverging portions about a second axis, a section being provided between the portions of conduit into which the gas flow is delivered for mixing with the air flow supplied through the converging portion. The fan's axis of rotation does not coincide with the axis of longitudinal development of the Venturi effect conduit, the offset between the first and second axes allows placement of a valve which supplies the gas flow into the Venturi effect conduit with a configuration in which the projection of the overall dimensions of the Venturi effect conduit and of the valve unit, in the rotational axis direction, lies within the fan's cover plate projection.
US09677758B2

A gaseous fuel-oxygen burner is described herein. One device includes a flame zone in which combustion of gaseous fuel and oxygen occurs to form a flame, a coaxial gaseous fuel jet configured to provide the flame zone with gaseous fuel, and a coaxial oxygen jet configured to provide the flame zone with oxygen, wherein the coaxial gaseous fuel jet and the coaxial oxygen jet are separate such that the gaseous fuel from the coaxial gaseous fuel jet and the oxygen from the coaxial oxygen jet do not mix before entering the flame zone.
US09677745B2

In a LED lamp structure and an illuminating module thereof, the illuminating module includes a circuit board, a flat plate LED, an electrical pin and a packaging colloid. The circuit board has a length, a first and a second side formed at two sides of the length. The flat plate LED is fixed and electrically connected with the circuit board, bulges at the first side, and includes a substrate and at least one LED grain assembled on the substrate. The flat plate LED can emit omnidirectional light because the substrate is made of transparent material. The electrical pin is fixed and electrically connected with the circuit board and bulges at the second side. The packaging colloid covers the circuit board and the flat plate LED and has a rectangular plastic block. Thereby, the LED lamp structure can remain traditional appearance of a halogen lamp, for collecting and focusing light.
US09677724B2

A portable and collapsible stove and lantern allowing clean combustion of biomass fuels found in the natural environment comprises a top member, a transparent member, a support member having an orifice and a plurality of windows, a chamber having a plurality of top and bottom openings and a mesh to support biomass fuels, and a main body having an insulation member, a reflecting member and a plurality of middle openings. When used, the transparent member is disposed within the support member that is disposed on top of the chamber which is then disposed within the main body, and the top member is disposed on top of the support member. Air drawn into the main body by the plurality of middle openings is further drawn into the chamber by the pluralities of top and bottom openings, mixed with fuels for combustion, producing flame into the support member through the orifice.
US09677723B2

LED lamp systems having improved light quality are disclosed. The lamps emit more than 500 lm and more than 2% of the power in the spectral power distribution is emitted within a wavelength range from about 390 nm to about 430 nm.
US09677717B2

Systems and methods for controlling flow with a 270 degree rotatable valve are provided. A described system includes a valve body having a valve chamber and a plurality of ports into the valve chamber. The plurality of ports include a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first port and the second port are aligned with a common axis and located on opposite sides of the valve chamber. The system further includes a valve member located within the valve chamber. The valve member is controllably rotatable by approximately 270 degrees to modulate fluid flow between the first port and the third port while maintaining the second port completely closed and to modulate fluid flow between the second port and the third port while maintaining the first port completely closed.
US09677715B2

The invention relates to a residual pressure valve device comprising a shut-off member (1) that is able to move in the body (9) relative to a seat (2), a return member (5) that urges the shut-off member (1) by default towards the seat (2), the shut-off member (1) comprising an internal duct (6) having a first end in communication with the gas inlet (3) and a second end that leads, via a calibrated orifice (8), into a control chamber (7) that is closed by the shut-off member (1) such that, when the gas pressure in the control chamber (7) reaches a predetermined threshold, this pressure causes the shut-off member (1) to move away from the seat (2), the body of the shut-off member (1) comprising a first portion (11) that forms a male element which is able to move in translation in a female passage of the body (9) with a predetermined fit forming a restriction ensuring partial and progressive opening of the passage for the gas between the inlet (3) and the outlet (4).
US09677713B1

A pressure vessel apparatus for cryogenic capable storage of hydrogen or other cryogenic gases at high pressure includes an insert with a parallel inlet duct, a perpendicular inlet duct connected to the parallel inlet. The perpendicular inlet duct and the parallel inlet duct connect the interior cavity with the external components. The insert also includes a parallel outlet duct and a perpendicular outlet duct connected to the parallel outlet duct. The perpendicular outlet duct and the parallel outlet duct connect the interior cavity with the external components.
US09677709B2

A gas recovery system for sub-sea use includes a sub-sea canister and a gas recovery entity. A bladder arranged within an interior of a housing of the gas recovery entity is configured to receive gas from the sub-sea canister via a pipe when a pressure of the gas exceeds a threshold at a sub-sea site.
US09677706B1

A motor base has a body, a motor mount, a filter mount, a through hole, a passage, a flange, and at least one overflow hole. The motor mount is formed on the top surface of the body. The filter mount is formed on the bottom surface of the body. The through hole is defined through the body. The flange is formed on the bottom surface of the body and is arranged around the filter mount. The at least one overflow hole is defined radially through the flange.
US09677696B2

A connection for conducting pressurized fluids between a tube and a connection component having a bore for receiving the tube. A clamping ring surrounds the tube and is seated on a seat between first and second bore segments and has an annular lip extending away from the seat. A locking bolt having a through-hole receiving the tube is threaded into the first bore segment and contacts the ring, an annular collar projecting from the locking bolt surrounding the lip and urging it radially inward to grip the tube when the bolt is tightened against the clamping ring. A sealing ring surrounding the tube is positioned between the clamping ring and a sealing ring seat defined between the second and third bore segments.
US09677694B2

A divergence type geotextile tube for filling a port includes a main body to which a main hose for injecting dredge soil is connected, the main body having a lower portion inserted in the tube structure, and an outlet provided in the main body to exhaust the injected dredge soil in a lateral direction, in a state of being inserted in the tube structure.
US09677693B2

The invention relates to an umbilical comprising a plurality of functional elements for providing hydraulic, electrical, signal and chemical functionality thereof, wherein at least some of the said functional elements comprise a fibrous sheath containing high strength polyolefin fibers.
US09677687B2

Disclosed is a device for reducing flow noise. In order to achieve a low flow noise, the device includes inlet apertures for receiving a fluid flow, chambers into which one or more inlet apertures open up, a cross-sectional area of a single chamber being larger than a combined flow cross-sectional area of the inlet apertures opening up thereto, and chamber-specific outlet apertures for forwarding the fluid flow from the chamber, a flow cross-sectional area of each outlet aperture being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the chamber, and the combined flow cross-sectional area of all outlet apertures of the single chamber being larger than the combined flow cross-sectional area of the inlet apertures opening up into said chamber.
US09677681B1

A valve assembly for an in-space propulsion system includes an inlet tube, an outlet tube, a valve body coupling the inlet tube to the outlet tube and defining a propellant flow path, a valve stem assembly disposed within the valve body, an actuator body coupled to the valve body, the valve stem assembly extending from an interior of the valve body to an interior of the actuator body, and an actuator assembly disposed within the actuator body and coupled to the valve stem assembly, the actuator assembly including a shape memory actuator member that when heated to a transition temperature is configured to enable the valve stem assembly to engage the outlet tube and seal the propellant flow path.
US09677673B2

A valve plug includes a cylinder, a first plug seat, a second plug seat, and a convoluted portion. The cylinder has a first and second end. The first plug seat is disposed at the first end. The second plug seat is disposed proximal to the second end. The convoluted portion is disposed between the first seat and the second seat. The convoluted portion provides flexibility for the cylinder to flex between the first plug seat and the second plug seat.
US09677671B2

An armature assembly for a solenoid valve allows for a valve member to be retained in the closed position through a biasing force being applied therein. A moveably supported armature bolt is movable between a first position and a second position. A valve member is coupled to the armature bolt and is configured to close with the armature bolt at the second position. An armature body is coupled to the armature bolt. A resilient member adapted to hold the armature bolt at the second position so as to retain the valve member in the closed position.
US09677670B2

Sliding parts of a pair of annular bodies include sealing faces that relatively slide on each other. A reversed Rayleigh step mechanism serving as a negative pressure generation mechanism is provided in at least one of the sealing faces, and a negative pressure generation groove that forms the reversed Rayleigh step mechanism is provided in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the sealing face so as to be isolated from a high pressure fluid side and a low pressure fluid side by a land section.
US09677666B2

A vehicle includes a transmission and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a torque request, calculate a Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) for satisfying the torque request in an initial gear and in an alternate gear, and command the transmission to shift from the initial gear into the alternate gear in response to the calculated SFC for satisfying the torque request in the alternate gear being less than the calculated SFC for satisfying the torque request in the initial gear.
US09677659B1

An epicyclic gearing arrangement includes a planet gear rotatable on a planet bearing that is mounted via a support pin to a carrier of the epicyclic gearing arrangement. An attenuation spring is disposed between the outer surface of the bearing's outer ring and the opposing inner surface of the planet gear and includes an annular gap. A spring film damper is disposed between the cylindrical outer surface of the support pin and the opposing inner surface of the inner ring of the planet bearing and includes an annular gap. The support pin (96) and/or outer ring include oil feed holes that open into the respective annular gap(s). A gas turbine engine includes an epicyclic gearing arrangement having such a planet bearing.
US09677658B2

Embodiments of the present invention include bicycle chain rings for bicycles having specially shaped ramps, tapers and profiled teeth for improved shifting performance. The embodiments of bicycle chain rings of the present invention may be configured for large chain rings on double cranksets and large and middle chain rings on triple cranksets. The embodiments of bicycle chain rings of the present invention may also be retrofitted to existing bicycle cranksets by replacing original chain rings. The embodiments of bicycle chain rings of the present invention may further be configured for any standard crankset mounting bolt configuration and for any suitable number of teeth.
US09677652B2

Ledger mechanism for rod making machines of tobacco industry comprising a first stationary ring gear (4), a first orbiting gear (5) staying in mesh with the first stationary ring gear (4), a second movable ring gear (6), a second orbiting gear (7) staying in mesh with the second movable ring gear (6). The ledger mechanism comprises a ledger (11) mechanically connected with the second movable ring gear (6) and the axis of the second orbiting gear (7) is coaxial with the axis of the first orbiting gear (5).
US09677651B2

A linear actuator includes a telescoping sleeve (100). The telescoping sleeve (100) includes an inner sleeve (110), an intermediate sleeve (120) sheathing the inner sleeve (110) and an outer sleeve (130) sheathing the intermediate sleeve (120). A base (200) connected to the intermediate sleeve (120); a motor (300) arranged on the base (200); a reduction worm gear (400) pivoted on the base (200) and driven by the motor; a rotor worm (500) pivoted on the base (200) and engaged with the reduction worm gear (400); a rotor worm gear (800) pivoted on the base (200); a stator worm (700) inserted in the rotor worm gear (800) and connected to the outer sleeve (130); and a stator nut (900) connected to the inner sleeve (110) and engaged with the rotor worm (500) are arranged in the telescoping sleeve (100).
US09677650B2

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) can be used in concert with an electric motor to facilitate power assistance to a rider in a bicycle. In some embodiments, the CVT and motor is mounted on the frame of the bicycle at a location forward of the rear wheel hub of the bicycle. In some embodiments, the CVT is mounted on and supported by members of the bicycle frame such that the CVT is coaxial with the crankshaft of the bicycle. The crankshaft is configured to drive elements of the CVT, which are configured to operationally drive the traction rings and the traction planets. In some embodiments, the motor is configured to drive elements of the CVT. In other embodiments, the motor is configured to drive the crankshaft. Inventive component and subassemblies for such a CVT are disclosed.
US09677648B2

A control system for controlling engagement of a first and second transmission of an all-wheel drive (AWD) walk-behind power equipment unit such as a lawn mower. The control system may include a mechanical load balancer to split an input drive force vector into two output force vectors. These two forces act upon associated first and second connection elements coupled to the first and second transmissions, respectively. One transmission may include a resistance element selected to sequence engagement of the first and second transmissions so that both transmissions begin driving their respective wheels at or near the same time even when the wheels associated with one transmission are more heavily-loaded than the wheels associated with the other transmission.
US09677645B2

A power transmission system that includes a torque converter; a transmission having a planetary gear; a case configured to accommodate the torque converter and the transmission; a support having a wall that is fixed to the case between the torque converter and the transmission and a tube that extends in an axial direction from an inner circumferential portion of the wall; a stator shaft that is connected to a stator of the torque converter via a one-way clutch; and a tubular connector that connects the support and a stationary element of the planetary gear together.
US09677643B2

A notched transmission belt has a plurality of notches whose bottom in a cross-section taken along a plane orthogonal to the width direction of the belt includes a linear portion at a center, and recessed curved portions continuously formed at both sides of the linear portion.
US09677638B2

A suspension system is disclosed for use with a mobile machine. The suspension system may have a link with a first eye formed at a first end and a second eye formed at a second end, and a bearing disposed within each of the first eye and the second eye. The suspension system may also have a pin configured to pass through the first eye and the first hearing, and an oscillation limiter disposed on the pin adjacent the link. The oscillation limiter may he ring-shaped and split at a first side, and have a flex portion at a second side that allows the oscillation limiter to flex open and be installed on the pin from an annular side of the pin.
US09677634B2

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic retarder comprising—a rotor (1) and a stator (2) which form a working chamber (3) with each other;—a first working medium connection (6);—a second working medium connection (7); and—a working medium container (4) that has an outlet (10), which is connected to the first working medium connection via a line, and an inlet (11), which is connected to the second working medium connection via a line; wherein—the working medium container is made of two housing parts (8, 9), which are joined together along a parting line (12). According to the invention:—the two housing parts together enclose the working medium storage volume;—one of the two housing parts simultaneously forms a part of a retarder housing (14) which supports or forms the stator and partly forms all or some of the working medium-conducting connections between the working medium storage volume and the working chamber; and—a separating plate (13) is inserted between, the two housing parts, said separating plate together with one or both of the housing parts forming cavities for the working medium-conducting connections and/or the working medium storage volume.
US09677632B2

The invention relates to an electromechanically actuatable brake (2), comprising an electrically actuatable actuator (30) for applying the brake (2) in an application direction (42), which actuator (30) converts a rotary motion of a spindle (20) into a translational motion of an application element (26), in particular a piston, wherein the spindle (20) is driven by an electric motor (8), wherein a mechanical store for storing energy by twisting is provided, the first end of which store is coupled to the spindle (20) and the second end to a bracing element (80), wherein the store takes up energy during rotation of the spindle (20) in the application direction (42), by which energy the spindle (20) is rotated back against the application direction (42) in the currentless state of the electric motor (8), whereby the brake (2) is released.
US09677626B2

A selectable one-way clutch to selectively enable torque transmission only in one direction and to interrupt torque transmission in both directions is provided. The selectable one-way clutch comprises: an oil passage that is formed in the selector plate, and that has a first opening situated at a lower level than the oil level and a second opening situated at a higher level than the oil level; and a closure that is formed on the pocket plate at a position to close the second opening at least partially when the selectable one-way clutch is in the overrunning mode, and to increase the opening area of the second opening when the selectable one-way clutch is in the engagement mode.
US09677623B2

A constructional unit for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle includes: at least one clutch arrangement configured to decouple an internal combustion engine from the drivetrain, the at least one clutch arrangement having at least one clutch element; a speed-adaptive vibration absorber apparatus, configured to reduce vibrations in the drivetrain with at least one damper mass deflectable along a deflection path; and a limiting device configured to exert a force on the at least one damper mass that limits the movement of the damper mass. The limiting device is further configured, for limiting the movement of the at least one damper mass, to be actuatable by the at least one clutch element.
US09677604B2

A bearing device, including: a first housing including a first interior surface with a first portion and an exterior surface; a second housing including a second interior surface with a second portion and an exterior surface; a bearing assembly including a first ring connected to the first interior surface, a second ring connected to the second interior surface and a rolling element between the rings; a first space between first and second portions of the first and second interior surfaces, respectively and extending from the first and second exterior surface to the bearing assembly; and at least one first layer of a hydrophobic material adhered to and covering at least a first segment of the first portion; or a second segment of the second portion. The first segment includes less than an entirety of the first portion, and the second segment includes less than an entirety of the second portion.
US09677603B2

An exhaust gas turbocharger may include a bearing housing and a rotor. The rotor may have a shaft mounted in the bearing housing via two radial bearing bushes. Each radial bearing bush may have an inner surface facing the shaft. The inner surface may have a single chamfer, where the single chamfers of the two radial bearing bushes face one another, or two chamfers, where one of the two chamfers for each of the two radial bearing bushes facing one another are larger than the other of the two chamfers for each of the two radial bearing bushes facing away from one another.
US09677586B2

The invention relates to an anchor (1) that can be secured in a drilled hole (2), with an expansion sleeve (10) for anchoring onto a wall (3) of the drilled hole, and with an anchor bolt (20) that passes through the expansion sleeve and that has an expansion section (38) for widening the expansion sleeve, and it also has a stop (22) that limits axial movement of the expansion sleeve away from the expansion section. According to the invention, at least one rotary catch (24) is provided which non-rotatably couples the expansion sleeve to the anchor bolt, and the expansion sleeve has at least one cutting projection (14) for creating an undercut in the wall of the drilled hole.
US09677582B2

A fluid-actuated fastening device comprises a housing including a housing body defining a fluid cavity and a fluid port. The fluid port places the fluid cavity in selective communication with an outside fluid source. A telescoping mast assembly includes a mast sleeve. A spindle has longitudinally spaced inner and outer spindle ends separated by a longitudinally oriented spindle body. The spindle body is at least partially located within the mast sleeve for telescoping longitudinal movement with respect thereto to transform the mast assembly between compressed and expanded mast states. At least one disc spring is located substantially within the fluid cavity. Introduction of pressurized fluid into the fluid cavity via the fluid port causes at least one of travel of the disc spring between flexed and relaxed spring states and translational movement of the mast between the compressed and expanded mast states.
US09677579B2

An actuator according to the present invention includes a cylinder, a piston inserted into the cylinder to be free to slide, a rod that is inserted into the cylinder and connected to the piston, a rod side chamber and a piston side chamber defined by the piston within the cylinder, a tank, a first opening/closing valve provided in a first passage that connects the rod side chamber to the piston side chamber, a second opening/closing valve provided in a second passage that connects the piston side chamber to the tank, a pump that supplies a working fluid to the rod side chamber, a motor that drives the pump, an exhaust passage that connects the rod side chamber to the tank, and a passive valve that is provided in the exhaust passage and has a predetermined pressure/flow rate characteristic.
US09677576B2

Particular embodiments of the inventive technology disclosed herein relate to the use of a dynamic valve to reduce motion caused by impulse force applied to a positioned component. Typically, the inventive technology finds application in an internally pressurized positioning system. At times, use of the inventive technology may lead to cost savings by, e.g., allowing for the use of smaller diameter positioner actuators and/or a reduced internal pressure.
US09677558B2

An inlet valve for a fluid pump includes a movably supported tappet for closing a fluid inlet opening and an actuator for moving the tappet, wherein the actuator and the tappet are formed separately from each other and can be coupled to one another by a coupling element for transmitting an actuator driving force to the tappet. An assembly method for such an inlet valve is also disclosed.
US09677539B2

A stability of a vertical axis combined water/wind turbine motor composed of a drag type and a lift type is improved by releasing convex surface resistance produced by a drag-type blade going against a fluid and increasing rotation torque by the reduction in resistance; during high-speed rotation equal to or higher than a fluid speed, all wing surfaces of the drag type are naturally brought into a released state as a result of being pulled by the lift-type blade rotation speed; and a danger at the time of increasing a fluid speed can be avoided by producing a fully-released state by rolling in feathers of a drag-type wind surface configuration, by decreasing the entire volume by folding wing surfaces to the rotation axis side, or by decreasing the entire structure by drawing feathers on the wing surface toward the rotation center.
US09677535B2

There is provided a method of operating a pump turbine plant including a turbine with a turbine impeller and a turbine spiral casing having a first pressure pipe, and a pump with a pump impeller and a pump spiral casing having a second pressure pipe; an electrical machine dynamically in a drive connection with a shaft, the pump turbine plant further including a hydraulic short-circuit that can be created between the turbine and the pump, wherein the turbine has a greater rated power than the pump, and wherein the turbine and the pump operate under partial load at least temporarily in the hydraulic short-circuit. The method further includes operating the turbine or the pump in the hydraulic short-circuit when a degree of efficiency of the pump and of the turbine in the hydraulic short-circuit is greater than a degree of efficiency of the turbine on its own.
US09677531B2

An electrical induction motor includes a plurality of windings, and a plurality of contactors. Each of the plurality of contactors is configured to be selectively opened or closed in a circuit including the plurality of windings to selectively connect the windings together in a star configuration wherein current flowing through the windings results in the generation of 2N magnetic poles, with N equal to the number of phases of the motor. Each of the plurality of contactors is also configured to be selectively opened or closed in the circuit including the plurality of windings to selectively connect the windings together in a mesh configuration wherein current flowing through the windings results in the generation of two magnetic poles.
US09677525B2

A method to determine the injection pattern in the compression stroke of the combustion cycle of the cylinders of a direct-injection internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of determining the initial quantity of fuel and an objective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections; determining an effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the respective initial quantity of fuel and of the respective objective quantity of fuel; and determining an objective pattern of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke as a function of the value of the end of injection angle and of the effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke.
US09677520B2

A valve for metering fluid is reported which has a valve housing having a valve opening and a valve seat, a valve needle, which is provided for the alternating closing and opening of the valve using a closing member cooperating with the valve seat, a resetting element that acts on the valve needle for closing the valve and an electromagnet that is able to have current applied to it, having a magnet armature that is drivable to a lift motion, which sits axially displaceably on the valve needle and carries along the valve needle in the lift direction for opening the valve via a driving flange situated on it. To simplify production and the assembly of the valve while achieving the advantages characteristic in valves having a prestroke spring and an armature free path, the magnet armature is supported on the valve housing using a diaphragm spring.
US09677517B2

An air intake assembly configured to direct air into a throttle body of an engine of an automotive vehicle includes an air cleaner enclosure, primary and secondary air intake ducts and a downstream air intake duct. In a first operating condition, inlet air is directed into the air cleaner enclosure unit from the secondary air intake duct and routed (i) through the downstream air intake duct and into the throttle body and (ii) through the primary air intake duct and out of a primary air inlet. In a second operating condition, inlet air is directed into the air cleaner enclosure unit from the primary air intake duct and routed (iii) through the downstream air intake duct and into the throttle body and (iv) through the secondary air intake duct and out of the secondary air inlet. A method of directing the intake air into the throttle body is also provided.
US09677516B2

A combustion engine of a motorcycle has an engine rotary shaft extending in a vehicle widthwise direction. Incoming wind taken in from a front of a steering handle that is positioned in front of the combustion engine, is introduced through an air intake duct to the combustion engine. The air intake duct extends from the front of the steering handle to a rearward of a cylinder block so as to pass above a radiator and pass laterally of one side of the cylinder block.
US09677511B2

An exhaust gas cooler may include an outer housing and an inner housing having a heat exchanger insert arranged therein. The heat exchanger insert may include a plurality of pipes around which exhaust gas flows transversely in the inner housing and through at least some of which a coolant of a first cooling circuit flows. At least a portion of the outer housing may be cooled by a second cooling circuit. The second cooling circuit may be separate from the first cooling circuit.
US09677504B2

Rockets, rocket motors, methods of controlling a rocket and methods of evaluating a rocket design are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of controlling a rocket may include measuring a combustion chamber pressure, calculating a logarithm of the measured combustion chamber pressure, and computing the difference between the logarithm of the measured combustion chamber pressure and the logarithm of a reference combustion chamber pressure value to generate an error signal. The method may further include filtering the error signal to generate a compensated signal in the logarithm domain, and exponentiating of the compensated signal in the logarithm domain to provide a compensated signal in the physical domain.
US09677489B2

A method and control unit for a start of an Otto engine operated at low temperatures, using ethanol and/or gasoline, having direct injection. The method includes generating by a high pressure pump a fuel pressure in a high pressure system connected to a high pressure reservoir; a sensor monitoring the fuel pressure in the reservoir and the system; injecting the fuel, by an injector, from the reservoir into a cylinder of the engine, the fuel pressure, an injection quantity and a fuel quantity being specified by a control unit based on, sensor the fuel pressure being specified based on the operating point of the engine up to an upper pressure which is below a starting pressure to which the fuel is increased before the fuel injection, and the fuel pressure in the reservoir and the system being limited to a maximum by an opening pressure of a limiting valve.
US09677488B2

A self-diagnosing method for diagnosing a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system of a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine. An SCR system is arranged downstream of the engine, and the SCR system includes at least one exhaust gas sensor that is sensitive to nitrogen oxides (NOx) gas. The method includes a first diagnosing sequence (S1) of ensuring that the vehicle is in a stationary state, controlling the engine to operate in a high NOx output engine operating state and in a low NOx output engine operating state, registering an output signal of the at least one exhaust gas sensor when the engine operates in each of the high NOx output engine operating state and low NOx output engine operating state, and diagnosing NOx measurement performance of the at least one exhaust gas sensor on the basis of the registered sensor output.
US09677487B2

Methods and systems are presented for providing information to a vehicle driver allows the driver to make an informed decision regarding selecting higher or lower octane fuel to operate the vehicle. In one example, the driver is presented fuel cost per unit distance traveled based on operating the vehicle on higher octane fuel and lower octane fuel.
US09677480B2

An automotive internal combustion engine electronic control unit for performing safety-related functions with a predetermined automotive safety integrity level, including: a microcontroller and an integrated circuit distinct from and communicating with the microcontroller. The microcontroller performs one or more safety-related functions with the same automotive safety integrity level as required to the automotive engine electronic control unit. The integrated circuit performs one or more safety-related functions with an automotive safety integrity level that is lower than that of the microcontroller. The integrated circuit performs, for each performed safety-related function, a corresponding diagnosis function for detecting failures in the performance of the safety-related function. The microcontroller performs, for each performed diagnosis function, a corresponding monitoring function for monitoring performance of the corresponding diagnosis function by the integrated circuit to detect failures that may compromise the diagnostic capability of the diagnosis function.
US09677461B2

Embodiments for vacuum generation are provided. In one example, a method for an engine including a turbocharger having a compressor driven by a turbine comprises generating vacuum via exhaust flow through an ejector, and applying vacuum from the ejector to a wastegate actuator. In this way, vacuum produced via high-pressure exhaust resulting from boosted engine operation may be used to actuate the wastegate valve.
US09677460B2

Methods and systems are provided for a branch communication valve in a twin turbocharger system. A branch communication valve may be positioned adjacent to a dividing wall separating a first scroll and a second scroll of the twin turbocharger. In an open position, the branch communication valve increases fluid communication between the first scroll and the second scroll and in a closed position, the branch communication valve decreases fluid communication between the first scroll and the second scroll.
US09677458B2

A temperature control device for an internal combustion engine includes a determining drive processor and an abnormality determining processor. The determining drive processor drives an electric pump when the difference between the water temperature and the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined value while the electric pump is stopped. The abnormality determining processor determines that at least one of the water temperature sensor and the ambient temperature sensor is abnormal on a condition that the decrease amount of the water temperature. The determining drive processor includes a stopping processor, which stops driving of the electric pump when the cumulative amount of coolant discharged from the electric pump reaches the predetermined cumulative amount with driving of the electric pump. The predetermined cumulative amount is set according to the volume of the engine passage between the inlet of the engine passage and the water temperature sensor.
US09677456B2

A vehicle having: an internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of cylinders, at least one cylinder block, in which the cylinders are located, and at least one head, which is fixed to the cylinder block, and a liquid cooling system, comprising a hydraulic circuit, inside of which a coolant flows, which is circulated by a circulation pump. The hydraulic circuit has an initial section, which is located inside the head of the internal combustion engine, and a final section, which is obtained inside the cylinder block of the internal combustion engine. In the hydraulic circuit, the delivery of the circulation pump is directly connected to the inlet of the initial section, and the outlet of the initial section is directly connected to the inlet of the final section.
US09677454B2

A gasket is provided that can effectively alleviate stresses arising therein when at high temperatures. A substantially annular gasket 1 used in coupling an outlet 30 of a turbocharger 3; the gasket 1 includes a gasket face 10 that is an abutting face of the gasket 1 that abuts a flange 31 when the gasket is in a state fitted to the flange 31 of an outlet 30; and the gasket face 10 is an annular shape having the plurality of fastener holes 11A, 13A, 15A and 17A, and in an area between one fastener hole and another fastener hole, the width of a portion H that reaches the highest temperature by exhaust gas channeled by the W/G valve 5 impinging thereon is formed to be the narrowest, and the width gradually increases as approaching towards the one fastener hole or the other fastener hole from the portion.
US09677450B2

An exhaust gas retreatment system of an internal combustion engine includes a particle filter; and a sensor positioned, in a flow direction of the exhaust gas, downstream of the particle filter. The sensor is configured to measure the oxygen content and/or the NOx content in the exhaust gas downstream of the particle filter.
US09677445B2

Systems and methods to selectively control plurality of dosing modules may include receiving data indicative of an exhaust flow rate. An amount of reductant to be dosed may be determined based, at least in part, on the data indicative of the exhaust flow rate. A decomposition delay time may also be determined and a first dosing module and a second dosing module may be selectively activated. The first dosing module may be selectively activated at a first time and the second dosing module is selectively activated at a second time. The second time is based on the first time and the determined decomposition delay time.
US09677442B2

A concentration of sulfur components contained in fuel is determined, without adding any special sensor for determining the sulfur concentration of the fuel. To this end, a sulfur concentration determination system for an internal combustion engine is provided with an exhaust gas purification device including an oxidation catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage, and a supply device for supplying fuel to exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust gas purification device, wherein after the end of poisoning elimination processing of the oxidation catalyst, fuel supply processing is carried out in which the fuel is supplied to the exhaust gas purification device in such a manner that an amount of fuel supplied to the exhaust gas purification device per unit time becomes constant, and the concentration of sulfur components contained in the fuel is determined by using as a parameter a period of time (an oxidation reaction period of time) required from a starting point in time of the fuel supply processing until the temperature of the oxidation catalyst drops to an initial temperature or below.
US09677430B2

A combined cycle power plant with a gas and steam turbine system arranged on a single shaft and integrated with a cogeneration plant having a heat consumer such as a district heating system or industrial plant, including one or more steam extractions at an intermediate-pressure steam turbine that are arranged at the upper casing half-shell of the turbine and extraction steam lines that lead the extracted steam to heat exchangers of the cogeneration plant. The steam extraction outlets are arranged either singly at or near the uppermost point of the casing or in pairs to either side of the uppermost point of the casing. The specific arrangement of the extractions allows a floor-mounting of the single-shaft combined cycle power plant and as such a cost and space efficient realization of the power plant.
US09677425B2

An axisymmetrical portion for an aircraft turbojet engine intermediate case intended to protrude downstream from an outer axisymmetrical portion of the intermediate case is provided. The axisymmetrical portion includes an annular groove radially open outwards, and at least one insert laid out inside the groove, which covers each internal face of the groove and which is radially open outwards.
US09677419B2

An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a bearing housing (9); a turbine housing (2) which is fastened to the bearing housing (9); and a heat shield (12) which has a heat insulating region (13) arranged between the turbine housing (2) and the bearing housing (9). The heat insulating region (13) is provided, in its outer circumferential region (14), with a seal (15).
US09677416B2

A drive mechanism for a vehicle is disclosed, said drive mechanism converting the reciprocating clockwise-counterclockwise motion of an input shaft into continuous rotation of an output shaft by means of two one-way clutches mechanically coupled to the input shaft and the output shaft, said one-way clutches having their power stroke in opposite directions of rotation. In an embodiment, said drive mechanism can be contained in a wheel hub and used for human-powered vehicles such as scooters, bicycles, wheelchairs, rollerskates, or other vehicles.
US09677415B2

A gas turbine engine comprising an electrical machine 30, 130, 200, 210, the electrical machine 30, 130, 200, 210 having an axis of rotation that is canted with respect to the main rotational axis of the gas turbine engine.
US09677407B2

A cover plate for a rotor disk in a gas turbine machine includes a cylindrical body having multiple outward facing snaps and multiple inward facing snaps.
US09677406B2

The purpose of the invention is to provide a rotor blade support structure, wherein the concentration of stress near the rotor blade groove in which the rotor blade is embedded is limited even as increase in production cost is limited. A rotor blade support structure, in which rotor blades (30) are embedded in rotor blade grooves (10) provided on a rotor disc (1), wherein the rotor blade groove (10) is provided with circular direction grooves (13) that extend more in the circular direction of the rotor disc than upward from the bottom (14), and shaft center direction grooves (15) that are provided on the end faces (1a, 1b) of the rotor disc (1) in the center of the bottom (14) in the circular direction of the rotor disc and that extend towards the rotor disc shaft center.
US09677402B2

A wind machine with aerodynamic elements to concentrate and accelerate an wind flow entering from outside, said machine having a housing, with an air intake, a first section converging up to an element having a substantially spherical or cylindrical section, a second and a third section, downwind said first converging section, each of said first section, said second section and said third section causing said wind flow to contact said element which has a substantially spherical or cylindrical section substantially up to its median line, a first and a second auxiliary air intake, coincident with said median line of said element having a substantially spherical or cylindrical section, said element having a substantially linear portion, being downwind of said first and second air intakes, and having a fourth and fifth section after said third section.
US09677400B2

A negative-emission pressurized air or other compressible gas operated high-efficiency reciprocating or rotary piston engine, as autonomously considered or as part of a complex system, comprises at least a tank, at least a turbo-alternator and one or more optional fluid heaters.
US09677391B2

A pressure relief device and a hydraulic fracturing system having a pressure relief device are provided. In one form, the pressure relief device has a valve body with a linearly extending throughbore between the inlet and outlet thereof. A rupture disc is secured in the valve body so that a frangible dome wall portion thereof has a reverse-acting orientation in the valve body bore. The hydraulic fracturing system includes a pump and a delivery line that receives pressurized fracturing fluid from the pump and delivers it to a well. A pressure relief device is installed along the delivery line. A sensor detects fluid flow downstream of the pressure relief device which allows the pump to be shut down when the downstream fluid flow is detected. The pressure relief device can have a body with a domed rupture disc and the sensor therein.
US09677385B2

The invention relates to a device (1) for removing a material (4) welling out from the seabed (2), said device having an outer casing (6) and a tubular guide device (10) that has a longitudinal direction, a later surface and a plurality of segments (12) that can be moved into an open position and a closed position. The lateral surface is closed in the closed position of the segments (12), and therefore the guide device (10) allows a flow of the material (4) only along the longitudinal direction, and the lateral surface has at least one opening in the opening position of the segments (12).
US09677383B2

A gravel pack apparatus for a wellbore has a shunt tube disposed along the apparatus near a wellscreen. The shunt tube is typically composed of stainless steel and has an internal passage for conducting slurry. Along its length, the tube has flow ports for passing the conducted slurry into the wellbore. The exit ports can use erosion inserts composed of erodible material, barrier inserts having breakable barriers, flow nozzles with external sheaths or caps, erosion-resistant bushings disposed on the flow nozzles, etc. The tube can also include a tube body having the exit ports and flow nozzles integrally formed thereon. The tube body can couple end-to-end with sections of shunt tube.
US09677378B2

A flow control assembly includes a cylindrical body that defines an interior and openings provided through a wall of the body. An inner sleeve is positioned within the interior of the body and defines recessed pockets on an outer radial surface that coincide with the openings, and sleeve orifices are defined in the inner sleeve at each recessed pocket. A cartridge choke assembly is received within each opening and operatively coupled to the inner sleeve at one of the recessed pocket. The cartridge choke assembly includes a choking module that defines choke orifices alignable with the sleeve orifices. A flow control device is movably disposed within the body between a fully open position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are exposed, and a fully closed position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are occluded.
US09677370B2

A well system includes a drop plug element and an internal plug seat in an internal flow path of a well tubing. At least one of the plug seat or the drop plug element includes a polymer that is deformable, having a first stiffness when subjected to a first strain rate, to allow the drop plug element to pass through the plug seat. The polymer resists deformation, having a second, higher stiffness when subjected to a second, higher strain rate, to resist allowing the plug element to pass through the plug seat and to seal the plug element and plug seat.
US09677369B2

A system for holding a tubular string in a well is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a cartridge having a body that can be installed within a wellhead spool attached to a well, and the cartridge includes slips and a setting ring that are disposed within a bore of the body. The slips and the setting ring are retained within the bore of the body and are axially movable within the body such that, when installed within the wellhead spool, the slips are retained in a retracted position when the setting ring is in a first axial position within the body and the slips contract inwardly when the setting ring is moved to a second axial position. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
US09677357B2

A test packer is lowered to a set liner hanger in a locked position that prevents the seal and slips from setting during running in. A first ball is dropped to shift a sleeve to release the grip of dogs to a groove on an outer housing. Setting down weight sets the test packer seal and sets the slips. After the casing integrity pressure test is done the test packer is lifted to again position the groove in the outer housing by the dogs. A second ball lands on the same seat now enlarged due to earlier movement and breaks a retainer on a locking sleeve. A spring return or continued downhole motion of the locking sleeve locks the packer in the run in position. Subsequent rotation and circulation can take place as completion fluid is circulated in. A circulation port above the packer can be opened optionally for circulation or reversing above the test packer.
US09677348B2

A commutating valve for a downhole steering tool. The downhole steering tool has a sleeve which surrounds an annular body which in turn surrounds a driveshaft. A plurality of steering cylinders are located in the annular body and a steering piston is located in each steering cylinder, the steering pistons engaging the sleeve. A pump pressurizes hydraulic fluid within a reservoir, the reservoir having a closable outlet whereby the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the reservoir can be raised by closing the outlet and lowered by opening the outlet. The valve comprises a number of discrete valve members which are all in communication with the reservoir and can be opened sequentially whereby to deliver hydraulic fluid to the steering cylinders sequentially. The pressure within each steering cylinder can be controlled in order to control the position of the driveshaft within the sleeve.
US09677336B2

A removable ladder step for providing a load support mountable to rung-ladders that have various rung cross-sections and/or various side rail depths. The removable ladder step has a load-supporting structure and a pair of adjustable holding devices connected thereto. The load-supporting structure has an upper wall connected to a front wall and to a rung-engaging wall. The upper wall configured to support a load thereon. A base member in a form of an elongated body is connected to the front wall and to the rung-engaging wall. An engaging space is formed in the rung-engaging wall for receiving and engaging a rung. Each of the adjustable holding devices has a holding member and a rail spacer connected thereto. The rail spacer is used to control a distance between a side rail and the holding member to accommodate ladders having various side rail depths.
US09677332B2

An actuator drive, for blinds, roller shutters and the like, has a drive motor and a centrifugal brake. A rotational disk is coupled to a drive shaft of the drive motor via a shaft flange. Two centrifugal shoes are smoothly guided in the rotational disk. In the unpowered state, brake shoes of the centrifugal shoes engage, frictionally or in a positive-locking way on an outer surface of a friction ring fixed to the motor housing. Upon starting of the drive motor, the brake shoes release the friction ring. The radial displacement of the brake shoes is maintained until the drive motor comes to a stop, wherein the brake shoes 8 are drawn radially inward by spring elements and function again as a locking mechanism. The spring elements are pretensioned such that the brake shoes effect a sufficient retaining torque.
US09677323B2

A thermally insulating panel (e.g., vacuum IG window unit) includes first and second opposing substrates spaced apart from one another by a plurality of spacers. A low pressure space is defined between the substrates, and is hermetically sealed off by at least one edge seal. During evacuation of the space, a plasma is ignited within the space via a static grid assembly in order to reduce the time needed to evacuate the space down and/or to help remove debris from within the space to the desired low pressure.
US09677321B2

In one embodiment, a window spacer has an outer elongate strip with a first surface and a second surface. The window spacer also has first and second inner elongate strips that each has a first surface and a second surface. The inner elongate strips are arranged so that each of the first surfaces of the inner elongate strips is spaced from the second surface of the outer elongate strip. The inner elongate strips are also spaced from each other to form an elongate intermediate pane gap. Support legs extend between the outer elongate strip and the two inner elongate strips.
US09677310B1

A self closing and adjustable closing force cam hinge includes a compression spring located on the hinge so that a hinge pin passes through the compression spring and the head of the hinge pin is retracted in a direction away from the compression spring to compress the compression spring. Compression of the spring applies a closing force to the hinge when the hinge is in the open position. The hinge also includes a spring adjuster having an adjustably positionable body that is adjustably positionable relative to the head of the hinge pin. Adjustment of the position of the adjustably positionable body raises or lowers the head of the hinge pin such that raising of the hinge pin increases compression of the compression spring to increase the closing force applied by the compression spring and lowering of the hinge decreases compression of the compression spring to decrease the closing force applied by the compression spring.
US09677308B1

A hinge includes at least one shaft set including a first shaft and a second shaft. The first shaft and the second shaft extend through a first guiding member and a second guiding member. A guiding base is disposed between the first shaft and the second shaft. The first shaft and the second shaft connect to an upper plate and a lower plate. The upper plate and the lower plate are connected to two rotatable parts of an electronic device. The first shaft and the second shaft moves relatively along with the rotation of the two rotatable parts of the electronic device.
US09677303B2

An attachment structure for a door lock device includes (1) a rod provided at an outer side section, that is disposed such that a length direction of the rod is in the vehicle vertical direction, and that is coupled to a door outer handle to move vertically upon operation of the door outer handle; (2) a releasing section provided at an inner side section, that includes a joining section to which the rod is joined from the vehicle width direction outside, and that releases a locked state of the door lock device upon vertical movement of the rod; (3) a restricting section provided at the outer side section, and that restricts movement of the rod toward the vehicle width direction outside and in the vehicle front-rear direction; and (4) a guiding section provided at the releasing section, and that guides the rod into the joining section.
US09677298B2

A drilling rig may include a pair of main beams supportable by a pair of rails, a substructure, an A-frame secured to the main beams, and a mast pivotably secured to the main beams and configured to lay down in a pre-erected stage. The substructure may include a plurality of pivoting legs, a drill floor having a plurality of spreaders pivotably supported by the plurality of pivoting legs, and a plurality of drill floor subassemblies supported by the plurality of spreaders. The plurality of pivoting legs supporting the spreaders may be configured to lay down in a pre-erected stage as well.
US09677292B2

An embedded integrated lifting rotation table which comprises a lifting table and a rotation table which is embedded in the lifting table is disclosed. At least a group of rotating driving devices are installed on the lifting table to drive the rotation table to rotate. There are two lifting tables at least, each lifting table connects with a group of single lifting driving devices. The rotation table comprises at least two rotation table components joint together. The quantity of the rotation table components equals to the quantity of the lifting tables. Each lifting table is embedded with a rotation table component. The first locking device is installed between two adjacent rotation table components. The second locking device is installed between the lifting table and the rotation table components which is embedded in the lifting table.
US09677291B2

The clip of the present invention comprises a main body having opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side ends and opposed top and bottom ends. The first side end has a first channel or groove formed therein and the second side end has a second channel formed therein. The length of the first channel is greater than the length of the second channel and the height of the second channel is greater than the height of the first channel. The top side of the main body has a first lip portion formed thereon and the bottom side has a second lip portion formed thereon. The first and second lips extend generally outwardly in the same direction relative to a face of the main body.
US09677290B2

The invention relates to an anchoring system for a wall formwork as well as to a method for suspending the anchoring system on the rear side of a wall formwork while dismantling a wall formwork. In order to accelerate a dismantling process, an anchoring system with an anchoring rod (4) and at least one disengageable locking device is provided. The part of the anchoring system that is pulled out of wall formworks after a concrete wall has been produced comprises a suspension means for suspending on a wall formwork the part of the anchoring system that has been pulled out.
US09677289B2

An ergonomic mud pan having a base connected to upstanding sidewalls defining an interior volume, wherein the sidewalls extend from the base in an angular fashion forming a slightly flared open upper. The sidewalls include a first pair of sidewalls and a second pair of sidewalls, wherein the second pair of sidewalls provide a trapezoid shape in order to readily enable the user to place a drywall knife in the interior volume of the device in order to remove drywall mud therefrom. An ergonomic handle is provided that is disposed on one of the first pair of sidewalls, wherein the handle is concave in structure. The user can place one's palm against the exterior surface of the sidewalls, wherein the fingers rest against the base such that pressure is alleviated against the back of the user's hand to enable prolonged holding of the mud pan during completion of a task.
US09677285B2

Flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements with a mainly square or rectangular shape. The floor elements are provided with edges, a lower side and an upper decorative layer. The floor elements are intended to be joined by means of joining members. The floor elements are provided with male joining members on a first edge while a second edge of the floor elements are provided with a female joining member. The male joining member is provided with a tongue and a lower side groove while the female joining member is provided with a groove and a cheek, the cheek being provided with a lip. The floor elements are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member on a third edge while a fourth, opposite, edge is provided with female vertical assembly joining member.
US09677279B2

A load support structure supports a load on a metal panel roof. Such load support structure includes multiple closure members including opposing side rails, and optionally end closures. The rails are mounted on roof panel ribs. Cavities can be disposed inwardly of the outer perimeter of the support structure as defined by the closure members, in upper portions of the closure members. Rods may be inserted through slot-shaped openings, into the cavities. Cross-section dimensions of the rods are less than the widths of the cavity openings. Either the rods are compressed, or the cavity openings are expanded, or both, so as to enable manually inserting the rods into the cavities. Elongate thermal breaks may be installed at and adjacent the cavities, to assist in controlling thermal conduction through the closure members, between the outside environment and the enclosed space above the roof opening.
US09677278B2

Disclosed is a method of fabricating bitumen impregnated cellulose ridge tiles, each ridge tile having the general shape of a profiled ridge tile plate of cross-section symmetrical about a vertical longitudinal midplane and that includes a downwardly concave central ridge extended laterally on either side by a flat that terminates in a downwardly concave corrugation, the ridge tile further including a series of ribs at each longitudinal end, the panel being in the form of a section member of cross-section that is made up by juxtaposing at least two cross-sections, each identical to the cross-section of the ridge tile plate, with transverse ribs in the vicinity of the longitudinal ends of the panel and on either side of at least one virtual transverse separation line extending between longitudinal panel edges. The panel is cut along a longitudinal line between the juxtaposed ridge tile sections.
US09677277B2

A roofing product can include a ceramic base material and a recycled roofing material. In a particular embodiment, an open structure of the ceramic base material is filled with a bituminous material that has no greater than approximately 5 weight % of abrasive particles or 0.1 weight % metal content. The recycled roofing material can be disposed along one or both sides of the ceramic base material. The bituminous material may have a characteristic particle size that is smaller than a characteristic particle size of the recycled roofing material. In another embodiment, the roofing product having the recycled roofing material can have tear strength characteristics as compared to a different roofing product having a substantially the same construction but having abrasive particles embedded within the ceramic base material.
US09677270B2

A simulated brick includes a polymeric core member, a mesh layer adhered to the core member, a basecoat layer covering an entirety of the mesh layer, and a finish layer covering an entirety of the basecoat layer. The core member, the mesh layer, the basecoat layer, and the finish layer together define a brick profile portion having first and second lateral sides extending to a planar outer surface to define a first thickness, and an offset portion extending from the first lateral side of the brick profile portion to a lateral end surface and having an outer surface defining a second thickness smaller than the first thickness, the brick profile portion and the offset portion together defining a planar rectangular base surface extending from the second lateral side of the brick profile portion to the lateral end surface of the offset portion.
US09677269B2

Components for a suspended ceiling subjected to seismic events including a fixed bracket and a movable bracket presenting a contiguous flat ceiling surface under normal conditions. The movable bracket is able to slide up onto the fixed bracket during a seismic event and is returned to a neutral position with the aid of a sliding clip elastically attached to a main tee or cross runner of the ceiling. A clip for joining tee members of a suspended ceiling is provided comprising two joined arms with hooks at the end of each arm. The join of the arms sits atop a main tee member and the hooks of each arm engage cross members thus securing the members together.
US09677265B2

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a curtain wall panel bracket leveling system that facilitates leveling a panel bracket mounted to a fixture (such as an embedment or an anchor array) cast in a concrete slab.
US09677260B2

A flush toilet includes a valve apparatus for spouting and stopping water to a storage tank or a toilet main unit supplied from a water supply source, and includes a pressurizing pump, being a reversely rotatable pump including a suctioning portion connected to the storage tank, a rim-side discharge portion connected to the toilet main unit rim spouting portion, a jet-side discharge portion connected to the toilet main unit jet spouting portion, and an impeller; and when the impeller is rotating in one direction, the pressurizing pump spouts flush water in the storage tank to the rim-side discharge portion, whereas when the impeller rotates in the other direction, the pressurizing pump spouts flush water in the storage tank to the jet-side discharge portion, or spouts flush water in the storage tank to both the rim-side discharge portion and the jet-side discharge portion.
US09677257B2

A handshower slide includes a bar with a passageway, a slide mechanism positioned along a length of the bar, and a showerhead holder movable with the slide mechanism along the length of the bar. The slide mechanism includes a handle and a cam, and the cam is positioned within the passageway and is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the bar. The slide mechanism is not movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the first orientation and is movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation. An orientation of the cam is correlated to a position of the handle, and a spring is coupled to the handle and the cam, so that the spring biases the cam toward the first orientation and away from the second orientation.
US09677256B2

A shower system, a handshower system and a transfer valve assembly. The system may include an adjustable supply assembly fluidly connectable to the water supply pipe, the supply assembly including an adapter defining an axis and having an inlet coupleable to the pipe outlet, a supply member having a supply outlet and coupled in fluid communication with the adapter, the supply member being coupled to the adapter for movement along the axis to adjust a distance between the pipe outlet and the supply outlet, and a seal positioned and operable to provide a sealed connection between the adapter and the supply member in adjusted positions of the supply member relative to the adapter.
US09677255B2

A person-detecting sensor includes: a range-finding unit that decides whether a distance to a detection object falls within a predetermined detection distance range; a received-light quantity decision unit that decides whether a received-light quantity is equal to or greater than a predetermined received-light quantity threshold; and a continuation decision unit that decides whether a state of the detection object being present is ongoing. In the received-light quantity decision unit, after water discharge is started upon the detection determination unit determining a detection object to be under detection state, for a period during which the continuation decision unit decides the state in which the detection object being present is ongoing, the received-light quantity threshold is set to be lower than prior to when the water discharge is started.
US09677254B2

A valve assembly for a single-lever faucet is configured to control a flow rate of water and has a valve body, a valve cartridge, and a valve stem. A flow control assembly is operatively connected to the valve assembly and constructed to attach to a faucet handle. The flow control assembly includes a valve stem, a handle actuator that operates the valve stem to control the flow rate of the water, a gear assembly, and a biasing member. Moving the handle actuator to the water-on position from the neutral position increments the valve stem to an open valve position. The handle actuator automatically returns to a neutral position with the water flowing after the user pivots the handle actuator to a water-on position, and automatically returns to the neutral position with no water flowing after the user pivots the handle actuator to the water-off position.
US09677252B2

A tooth for earthmoving and mining equipment, including a cutting tip; and a mounting portion rearward of the cutting tip, the mounting portion having ‘a cavity therein opening to the rear and including a cone portion extending forward from the rear opening and terminating in a beak portion. The cone portion being defined at least in part by spaced apart upper and lower faces and opposed spaced apart side faces, the upper and lower faces being joined to the side faces by curved corner faces and the opposed upper and lower faces converging towards each other and the opposed side faces converging towards each other away from the rear opening so that the curved corner faces diminish away from the rear opening. The upper and lower faces and the side faces of the cone portion terminating in a beak portion at the front of the cavity, the beak portion being defined at least in part by opposed spaced apart upper and lower faces joined by opposed spaced apart side faces, the upper face, lower face and side faces of the beak portion being contiguous with the upper face, lower face and side laces of the cone portion respectively, and the upper and lower faces of the beak portion being generally parallel and the side faces of the beak portion also being generally parallel and contiguous with a front face of the beak portion.
US09677245B2

A locking mechanism to secure a coupler's jaw, and a coupler incorporating the locking mechanism.
US09677230B2

Methods and systems for making and using a wide swath offset concrete screed apparatus for screeding wet concrete slurry. The apparatus includes a cross support bar, an attachment mechanism for attaching the cross support bar to a liftable arm of a motorized vehicle, and lateral support bars for attaching a screed bar to the cross support bar. The screed bar is positioned offset from the motorized vehicle used to operate the screed, allowing the motorized vehicle to drive outside the forms.
US09677229B2

Methods of manufacturing a plurality of mats useful with a plurality of frame style seal members in a load-supporting surface include at least one milling machine, router or pre-formed mold forming at least first and second elongated grooves in first and second offset outer edges of at least a first side of each among at least first and second stepped-configuration, reversible mats. Each groove causes the seal member(s) seated therein to extend into a gap formed between the mats, abut at least one seal member extending from another mat into the same gap and form a liquid-tight seal therewith.
US09677228B2

An artificial flagstone for use in combination with other similar flagstones for covering a surface with a natural random look, the flagstone having a generally hexagonal body comprising a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth consecutive vertices; a first pair of first and second sides extending radially from the first vertex; a second pair of third and fourth sides extending radially from the third vertex; a third pair of fifth and sixth sides extending radially from the fifth vertex; wherein the sides of at least one of the first, second and third pair of sides have at least one split deviation along their length and are respectively rotational images of each other, and the artificial flagstone has no rotational symmetry when rotated about a central axis.
US09677222B2

A selective dyeing method is used for dyeing a substrate, selectively within a first exposed surface portion of said substrate. For this purpose, the substrate consists of a material that is impervious to a dye with the exception of the first portion of the exposed surface. In particular, the impervious material can form a layer which covers a base portion of the substrate in a second portion of the exposed surface. The substrate is heated such that the dye penetrates a pervious material which constitutes the first portion of the exposed surface. The method is particularly useful for eliminating light diffused by the walls of a multilayer structure which is supported by means of ocular glass.
US09677219B2

A clothes line for washing and drying delicate items. An elongated member has a distal end and a proximal end. A first connector is secured to said distal end of said elongated member and configured for connection to a first portion of the laundry appliance. A second connector is secured to said proximal end of the elongated member for connection to a second portion of the appliance, the first and second connectors configured to connect the elongated member to the laundry appliance. A holding element comprises a first end and a second end, the first end of the holding element removably mounted along the length of said elongated member. The second end of the holding element is configured to releasably hold at least one delicate garment to prevent entanglements during operation of the laundry appliance. The garment can include, without limitation, lingerie underwear (e.g., a G-string garment), a blouse, a brassier, or the like.
US09677209B2

A knitted fabric, a method of producing the knitted fabric and a warp knitting machine. The knitted fabric includes a first covering layer; a second covering layer; and an arrangement of pile threads formed as spacer threads between the first covering layer and the second covering layer. Each covering layer includes multiple stitch rows arranged one after another. The spacer threads have different lengths, and the spacer threads woven into each stitch row have equal lengths. The spacer threads in a first width region have a different length than the spacer threads in a second width region. For at least two adjacent stitch rows, one stitch row is connected to spacer threads of a first length in the first width region and one stitch row is connected to spacer threads of a second length in the second width region.
US09677206B2

The present invention provides fabrics with cut loop pile comprising a synthetic filament core yarn and covering yarn of a split microfiber yarn and a viscose rayon yarn and a manufacturing method thereof. The core yarn at the section where said loops are cut is outwardly protruded from the covering yarn, wherein the synthetic multifilament core yarn is separated into multiple filaments to function as hooks. The fabrics with cut loop pile show superior characteristics in polishing properties, sliding properties, water absorption properties, rapid drying properties and feeling of touch owing to the split yarn of microfibers and the viscose rayon yarn which comprises the covering yarn, and polishing can be performed while easily catching foreign substances such as extremely minute dust particles or human hairs and the like by the hook-shaped multifilaments of the core yarn. Thus the fabrics with cut loop pile according to the present invention can be used usefully in products such as various kind of mats, towels, bathroom products, and the like including dishcloths and mops.
US09677202B2

A process is described wherein pile yarn is woven with cotton weft and warp yarns to produce terry fabrics, such as towels. The fabric is then washed in warm water to dissolve the PVA fibers. The amount of fibers dissolved, depends upon the count of the yarn or yarns used. By dissolving the PVA fibers, a hollow air space is produced throughout the pile yarn, corresponding to an increase in the air space in the pile yarn. By increasing the air space in the pile yarn, the resulting towels are softer and bulkier than standard cotton towels. The present invention further relates to pile yarn in terry woven fabric (warp yarn), or weft yarn, in the case of flat fabrics.
US09677201B2

A process is described wherein pile yarn is woven with cotton weft and warp yarns to produce terry fabrics, such as towels. The fabric is then washed in warm water to dissolve the PVA fiber. The amount of fibers dissolved, depends upon the count of the yarn or yarns used. By dissolving the PVA fibers, a hollow air space is produced throughout the pile yarn, corresponding to an increase in the air space in the pile yarn. By increasing the in space in the pile yarn, the resulting towels are softer and bulkier than standard cotton towels. The present invention further relates to pile yarn in terry woven fabric (warp yarn), or weft yarn, in the case of flat fabrics.
US09677192B2

A group 13 nitride crystal substrate according to the present invention is produced by growing a group 13 nitride crystal on a seed-crystal substrate by a flux method, wherein a content of inclusions in the group 13 nitride crystal grown in a region of the seed-crystal substrate except for a circumferential portion of the seed-crystal substrate, the region having an area fraction of 70% relative to an entire area of the seed-crystal substrate, is 10% or less, preferably 2% or less.
US09677187B2

A method of forming a non-metallic coating on a metallic substrate involves the steps of positioning the metallic substrate in an electrolysis chamber and applying a sequence of voltage pulses of alternating polarity to electrically bias the substrate with respect to an electrode. Positive voltage pulses anodically bias the substrate with respect to the electrode and negative voltage pulses cathodically bias the substrate with respect to the electrode. The amplitude of the positive voltage pulses is potentiostatically controlled, whereas the amplitude of the negative voltage pulses is galvanostatically controlled.
US09677184B2

The invention relates to a method and current measuring arrangement for measuring electric current flowing in an individual electrode in an electrolysis system. The electrolysis system comprises a plurality of interleaved electrodes (1, 2), cathodes (1) and anodes (2), arranged in an electrolysis cell (3) and immersed in electrolyte, said electrolysis system having a busbar arrangement (4) disposed on a separating cell wall (5) between each of the two adjacent cells. The busbar arrangement comprises an equalizer busbar (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) to electrically connect anodes in one cell to cathodes in a next cell providing the current with multiple electrical pathways between electrodes, said electrical connection being formed by contact points (12) between the equalizer busbar (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) and hanger bars (13) of the electrodes. The electric current in the equalizer busbar (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) is measured by magnetic field sensing means (15, 16) arranged at measuring points (14) located between each pair of the adjacently neighboring contact points (12).
US09677164B2

Steel strip provided with a hot dip galvanized zinc alloy coating layer, in which the coating of the steel strip is carried out in a bath of molten zinc alloy, the zinc alloy in the coating of: 0.3-2.3 weight % magnesium; 0.6-2.3 weight % aluminum; optional <0.2 weight % of one or more additional elements; unavoidable impurities; the remainder being zinc in which the zinc alloy coating layer has a thickness of 3-12 μm.
US09677157B2

A process of preparing an aluminum alloy includes the following steps: first adding and completely melting a ZL101 Al-Si ingot and then covering the melt next adding one of modifiers Te and Sb and then performing heat preservation; finally adding one or more of rare earth elements La, Ce, Y and transition metal element Hf and then performing heat preservation. The ZL101 Al-Si alloy melt after the treatments can be casted into an ingot or a part after refining.
US09677146B2

A hot-rolled austenitic manganese steel strip having a chemical composition in percent by weight of 0.4%≦C≦1.2%, 12.0%≦Mn≦25.0%, P≧0.01% and Al≦0.05% has a product of elongation at break in % and tensile strength in MPa of above 65,000 MPa %, in particular above 70,000 MPa %. A cold-rolled austenitic manganese steel strip having the same chemical composition achieves a product of elongation at break in % and tensile strength in MPa of above 75,000 MPa %, in particular above 80,000 MPa %.
US09677140B2

Methods and compositions are provided for the identification of a molecular diagnostic test for cancer. The test defines a novel DNA damage repair deficient molecular subtype and enables classification of a patient within this subtype. The present invention can be used to determine whether patients with cancer are clinically responsive or non-responsive to a therapeutic regimen prior to administration of any chemotherapy. This test may be used in different cancer types and with different drugs that directly or indirectly affect DNA damage or repair, such as many of the standard cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs currently in use. In particular, the present invention is directed to the use of certain combinations of predictive markers, wherein the expression of the predictive markers correlates with responsiveness or non-responsiveness to a therapeutic regimen.
US09677136B2

Methods, compositions, and systems are provided for managing bovine subjects in order to maximize their individual potential performance and edible meat value, and to maximize profits obtained in marketing the bovine subjects. The methods and systems draw an inference of a trait of a bovine subject by determining the nucleotide occurrence of at least one bovine SNP that is identified herein as being associated with the trait. The inference is used in methods of the present invention to establish the economic value of a bovine subject, to improve profits related to selling beef from a bovine subject; to manage bovine subjects, to sort bovine subjects; to improve the genetics of a bovine population by selecting and breeding of bovine subjects, to clone a bovine subject with a specific trait, to track meat or another commercial product of a bovine subject; and to diagnose a health condition of a bovine subject. Methods are also disclosed for identifying additional SNPs associated with a trait, by using the associated SNPs identified herein.
US09677132B2

The present disclosure relates to the field of molecular biology and more specifically to methods for capturing and amplifying target polynucleotides on a solid surface.
US09677130B2

Improved methods to quantitate RNA in biological or other analytical samples employ extended RNAs containing adaptors at the 5′ end and polyA sequences coupled to a tag at the 3′ end. The invention method is particularly useful in quantitating microRNAs as primers can be used that need not complement the non-conserved 3′ ends of these molecules.
US09677126B2

The present disclosure relates to methods of identifying target nucleic acids by using coded molecules and its analysis by translocation through a nanopore. Generally, coded molecules are subject to a target polynucleotide dependent modification. The modified coded molecule is detected by isolating the modified coded molecules from the unmodified coded molecules prior to analysis through the nanopore or by detecting a change in the signal pattern of the coded molecule when analyzed through the nanopore.
US09677124B2

The invention generally relates to methods for analyzing nucleic acids. In certain aspects, methods of the invention involve obtaining a sample including a nucleic acid template. A plurality of molecular inversion probes are tiled across a portion of the template. The probes are designed such that immediately adjacent probes hybridize to opposite strands of the nucleic acid template and probes on the same strand hybridize to the template in an overlapping manner. A region between targeting arms of a plurality of the molecular inversion probes is filled-in with nucleotides, and the filled-in region of a plurality of the probes is analyzed to obtain sequence information about the nucleic acid template.
US09677122B2

The invention provides efficient methods of preparing a target nucleic acid in a form suitable for sequencing. The methods are particularly amenable for preparing high quality nucleic acids for massively parallel sequencing. The methods involve capturing a target nucleic acid from a sample and PCR amplification of the target nucleic acid. The target nucleic acid is captured by binding to a capture probe, which in turn binds to an immobilized probe. The immobilized probe is typically immobilized via a magnetic bead. The captured target nucleic acid is PCR amplified by thermocycling without prior dissociation of the target nucleic acid from the beads. The efficiency of the method lies in part in that both the capture and amplification steps are performed in a single vessel. The amplified nucleic acid can then be sequenced.
US09677112B2

β-Lactamase substrates and methods for using the substrates to detect β-lactamase diagnose tuberculosis.
US09677111B2

A method of detecting a Salmonella microorganism is provided. The method includes the use of a selective growth medium, a first indicator system that is converted to a first detectable product by a Salmonella microorganism, and a second indicator system that is converted to a second detectable product by β-galactosidase enzyme activity. The method further comprises inoculating the growth medium and incubating the inoculated growth medium at a temperature higher than 40 degrees C.
US09677103B2

A perfect palindrome operator sequence-based protein expression system is provided. The expression system comprises a promoter; and a perfect palindrome operator sequence, wherein the promoter is not T7. The expression system is preferably employed for the production of recombinant proteins by fermentation.
US09677102B2

The present invention relates to enzyme compositions comprising a polypeptide having cellobiohydrolase II activity, a polypeptide having xylanase activity, and one or more cellulolytic proteins and their use in the degradation or conversion of cellulosic material.
US09677089B2

Sequences of a serotype 8 adeno-associated virus and vectors and host cells containing these sequences are provided. Also described are methods of using such host cells and vectors in production of rAAV particles.
US09677087B2

A method can include making one or more compositions for altering allogeneic cells of a human donor for a human recipient by identifying at least one mismatch in an HLA protein between the human donor and the human recipient; determining a consensus conserved nucleic acid sequence among nucleic acid sequences encoding a domain having the mismatch or among domains having a plurality of mismatches; and forming at least one of the one or more compositions by constructing a virus vector for expressing a sequence targeting the consensus conserved nucleic acid sequence, which when expressed in cells functions as a negative modulator for nucleic acid encoding the domain having the mismatch or the domains having the plurality of mismatches.
US09677086B2

Targeting constructs and methods of using them are provided for differentiation-dependent modification of nucleic acid sequences in cells and in non-human animals. Targeting constructs comprising a promoter operably linked to a recombinase are provided, wherein the promoter drives transcription of the recombinase in an differentiated cell but not an undifferentiated cell. Promoters include Blimp1, Prm1, Gata6, Gata4, Igf2, Lhx2, Lhx5, and Pax3. Targeting constructs with a cassette flanked on both sides by recombinase sites can be removed using a recombinase gene operably linked to a 3′-UTR that comprises a recognition site for an miRNA that is transcribed in undifferentiated cells but not in differentiated cells. The constructs may be included in targeting vectors, and can be used to automatically modify or excise a selection cassette from an ES cell, a non-human embryo, or a non-human animal.
US09677073B2

The invention provides hydroxylated polyamine derivatives, their use for the transfection of polyanions into cells, and a method of transfecting cells with a polyanion, comprising mixing said polyanion with said hydroxylated polyamine derivative in a buffer and treating said cells with the mixture obtained in the previous step.
US09677067B2

Methods and compositions are provided for assembly of large nucleic acids where the assembled large nucleic acids lack internal sequence modifications made during the assembly process.
US09677064B2

Microfluidic devices and methods for the encapsulation of particles within liquid droplets are disclosed. The new methods and devices form 1-100 picoliter-size monodisperse droplets containing the particles, such as single cells, encapsulated in individual liquid droplets. The particles can be encapsulated in droplets of a fluid by passing a fluid containing the particles through a high aspect-ratio microchannel to order the particles in the fluid, followed by forming the fluid into droplets. The resulting fraction of the liquid droplets with a single particle (e.g., a cell) is higher than the corresponding fraction of single-particle liquid droplets predicted by Poisson statistics.
US09677058B2

The present invention relates to polypeptides having glucoamylase activity with improved properties and to compositions comprising these polypeptides suitable for use in the production of a food, beverage (e.g. beer), feed, or biofuel. Also described is an improved and cost-effective process for isolating glucoamylases suitable for large scale protein purification procedures. Furthermore, different methods and uses related to glucoamylases according to the invention are disclosed, such as in a brewing process.
US09677056B2

Methods are provided for modifying and screening for carotenoid biosynthesis in a plant. The methods are useful for enhancing plant adaptation to climate change and food security, providing increased carotenoid content to a plant, improving stress resistance to climate changes in a plant, and for selecting plants having improved stress resistance to climate changes.
US09677034B2

The invention relates to a degreasing mixture for removing grease, oils, or similar hydrophobic components from a surface of a substrate. The degreasing mixture contains a solvent-free silicate mixture as the main component. The silicate mixture contains granules of phyllosilicate and granules of tectosilicate. Up to 90% by mass of the granules contained in the silicate mixture has a particle size of less than 60 μm, and the maximum particle size of the granules of phyllosilicate is smaller than the maximum particle size of the granules of tectosilicate.
US09677031B2

A catalyzed highly alkaline cleaning composition for cleaning stainless steel and other surfaces, namely those treated in clean-in-place processes, is disclosed. The composition comprises gluconic acid or salt thereof (e.g. gluconate) to serve as a corrosion and stain inhibitor for the high alkalinity compositions. The composition retains the cleaning and corrosion prevention properties of conventional clean-in-place solutions while being less expensive to produce.
US09677027B2

The invention relates to a composition comprising at least one phospholipid-cleaving enzyme. The invention further relates to a method for degumming raw oils using the composition according to the invention and to the use of the composition according to the invention to degum raw oils.
US09677022B2

The present invention relates to a lubricant base stock, a lubricant composition, a method of lubricating an object and the use of a lubricant base stock. The lubricant base stock comprises a first ester which is the reaction product of: a first polyol comprising at least 3 hydroxyl groups; a first mono-carboxylic acid comprising from 4 to 18 carbon atoms; and a poly-carboxylic acid comprising at least 2 carboxyl groups and comprising from 20 to 60 carbon atoms. The lubricant base stock also comprises a second ester which is the reaction product of: a second polyol comprising at least 3 hydroxyl groups; and a second mono-carboxylic acid comprising from 4 to 18 carbon atoms.
US09677010B2

Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons including regeneration of catalyst are provided. In one example, a method comprises heating an inert gas to form a heated inert gas stream. A first portion of the heated inert gas stream is indirect heat exchanged with hydrogen gas to form a first partially heated inert gas stream and a heated hydrogen gas stream that is for lifting the catalyst; and/or a second portion of the heated inert gas stream is indirect heat exchanged with an organic chloride-containing stream to form a second partially heated inert gas stream and a heated organic chloride-containing stream that is for chlorinating the catalyst; and/or the catalyst is preheated using at least a third portion of the heated inert gas stream for indirect heat exchange with a nitrogen gas stream or using the first and/or second partially heated inert gas streams.
US09677006B2

Plants and methods are presented for crude feed pre-processing before feeding the crude feed into a crude unit or vacuum unit. Pre-processing is preferably achieved with a combination of a preflash drum and a preflash column that allows for high-temperature treatment of the liquids and separate vapor phase handling, which advantageously enables retrofitting existing plants to accommodate lighter crude feeds.
US09677003B2

Provided are a liquid crystal display device that suppresses occurrence of drop marks during production without degrading various properties, such as dielectric anisotropy, viscosity, nematic phase upper limit temperature, rotational viscosity (γ1), and ghosting property, and a method for producing the liquid crystal display device.A liquid crystal display device 10 of the present invention includes a liquid crystal composition layer 13 sandwiched between a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12 and vertical alignment films 16 and 17 that contain a polymer of a polymerizable compound having a polyimide skeleton as a main chain and a crosslinkable functional group as a side chain. The liquid crystal composition constituting the liquid crystal composition layer 13 contains compounds represented by general formulae (I) and (II).
US09677002B2

An etching composition includes about 1 wt % to about 7 wt % of hydrogen peroxide, about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of phosphoric acid, about 0.001 wt % to about 1 wt % of an amine or amide polymer, 0 wt % to about 55 wt % of sulfuric acid, and about 10 wt % to about 45 wt % of deionized water.
US09676997B2

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for stabilizing a luminogenic substrate such as coelenterazine or a functional analog thereof. The functional analog may be furimazine. The composition may include the luminogenic substrate, a thionucleoside, and an organic solvent, in which the thionucleoside is present in an amount effective to stabilize the luminogenic composition against decomposition. The method provided herein stabilizes the luminogenic substrate against decomposition by contacting the luminogenic substrate with an effective amount of the thionucleoside in the presence of the organic solvent. Also provided herein is a kit containing the composition.
US09676991B2

Low-dosage hydrate inhibitor (“LDHI”) compounds comprising multiple lipophilic tails and a hydrophilic head may be employed into fluids to inhibit agglomeration of hydrates, among other things. Suitable hydrophilic heads may include quaternary or tertiary ammonium cation moieties, and combinations thereof. Such LDHI compounds in some embodiments may include reaction products of DETA and/or other amines, fatty acid(s), and, optionally, alkyl halide(s). Compounds according to some embodiments may be employed in fluids in various environments, such as a conduit penetrating a subterranean formation, or a conduit carrying fluid in an industrial setting.
US09676989B2

Methods and compositions are provided that relate to sealant compositions comprising cement kiln dust, tire-rubber particles, and water. An embodiment discloses a method comprising: providing a sealant composition comprising cement kiln dust, tire-rubber particles, and water; and allowing the sealant composition to set to form a hardened mass.
US09676984B2

The use of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane for increasing the miscibility of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene with a lubricating oil, and in particular with a polyalkylene glycol oil. Further included are heat-transfer compositions and also equipment and processes using these compositions. Also, a kit including a heat-transfer fluid including 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, and a lubricant oil including a polyalkylene glycol, for use in a heat-transfer installation including a vapor compression circuit.
US09676978B2

A sealing resin composition simultaneously having good transparency, resistance to moisture permeability, and adhesiveness resistant to heat and humidity, and a sealing resin composition sheet obtained therefrom. Using a resin composition containing (A) a styrene-isobutylene modified resin and (B) a tackifier resin as a sealing resin composition, a resin composition layer composed of the resin composition may be formed on a support to give a sealing resin composition sheet.
US09676970B2

A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, comprising: (A) a (meth)acryl-based polymer; and (B) an ionic compound comprising an anion component and a cation component, wherein the anion component is at least one of an anion component represented by the general formula (1): (CnF2n+1SO2)2N−,  (1) wherein n is an integer of 3 to 10, and an anion component represented by the general formula (2): CF2(CmF2mSO2)2N−,  (2) wherein m is an integer of 2 to 10.
US09676946B2

[Problem] To provide a coating composition, which can reduce a load to the environment and form a cured layer having corrosion resistance, antifouling property and high transparency.[Means for Solution] A coating composition comprising (A) a polysilazane having alkoxy-modified silane group in a side chain, (B) non-reactive polydialkylsiloxane and (C) reactive polydialkylsiloxane, and a obtained cured layer therewith.
US09676944B2

Methods of increasing the solubility of a base in supercritical carbon dioxide include forming a complex of a Lewis acid and the base, and dissolving the complex in supercritical carbon dioxide. The Lewis acid is soluble in supercritical carbon dioxide, and the base is substantially insoluble in supercritical carbon dioxide. Methods for increasing the solubility of water in supercritical carbon dioxide include dissolving an acid or a base in supercritical carbon dioxide to form a solution and dissolving water in the solution. The acid or the base is formulated to interact with water to solubilize the water in the supercritical carbon dioxide. Some compositions include supercritical carbon dioxide, a hydrolysable metallic compound, and at least one of an acid and a base. Some compositions include an alkoxide and at least one of an acid and a base.
US09676943B2

The invention relates to a process for producing hybrid carbon black particles (12), which comprises the steps: a) production of first carbon black starting particles (16); b) production of second carbon black starting particles (22); c) milling of the second carbon black starting particles (22); d) mixing of the second carbon black starting particles (22) into a particle stream (48) of the first carbon black starting particles (16); and d) pelletization of the first and second carbon black starting particles (16, 22) to form hybrid carbon black particles (12). The invention further relates to an apparatus (10) for producing hybrid carbon black particles (12) and to hybrid carbon black particles (12) produced by means of the process or the apparatus (10).
US09676935B2

A novel polyoxymethylene resin composition is provided, which may be availably used as engineered plastics in various industrial fields and products, such as vehicle parts. The poly resin includes polyoxymethylene, aramide fibers, and thermoplastic polyurethane, thereby providing the novel composition of polyoxymethylene resin and improving various physical properties thereof, such as thermal stability.
US09676929B2

Process for polymerizing fluoromonomer to form an aqueous dispersion of fluoropolymer particles including: (a) providing an aqueous medium in a polymerization reactor, (b) adding nucleating additive comprising polyalkylene oxide having a number average molecular weight of about 50 to about 2000 to the aqueous medium in an amount of about 0.1 ppm to about 50 ppm based on water in the aqueous medium, (c) exposing the nucleating additive to oxidizing agent to form a dispersion of oleophilic nucleation sites in the aqueous medium; (d) pressurizing the reactor by adding fluoromonomer, and (e) adding polymerization initiator to the aqueous medium to cause the polymerizing of the fluoromonomer to form fluoropolymer particles dispersed in the aqueous medium.
US09676928B2

The present invention relates to curable barrier encapsulants or sealants for electronic devices that have pressure sensitive adhesive properties. The encapsulants are especially suitable for organic electronic devices that require lower laminating temperature profiles. The encapsulant protects active organic/polymeric components within an organic electronic device from environmental elements, such as moisture and oxygen.
US09676925B2

The invention relates to an extruded surface covering material for covering a boat or yacht deck or another outdoor area, the surface covering material comprising a synthetic material, where the surface covering material further comprises rigid hollow microballoons with an opaque surface. The invention also relates to an extruded product.
US09676920B2

A polyolefin nanocomposite material comprising the following components: (A) a crystalline or semi-crystalline polyolefin resin; and (B) a nanosized mineral filler comprising or substantially consisting of a hydrotalcite, wherein the amount of the hydrotalcite is from 0.02 to 6 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the nanocomposite material, and the ratio MFR (1)/MFR (2) of the melt flow rate value MFR (1) of component (A) to the melt flow rate value MFR (2) of the polyolefin nanocomposite material is of at least 1.02, characterized in that the said polyolefin nanocomposite material includes a compatibilizer the dispersion of the mineral filler (B) and compatibilizer in the polyolefin resin is produced at shear mixing rates from 30 to 300 sec−1.
US09676901B2

The invention relates to novel conjugated polymers containing one or more repeating units derived from indacenodibenzothiophene or dithia-dicyclopenta-dibenzothiophene, to methods for their preparation and educts or intermediates used therein, to polymer blends, mixtures and formulations containing them, to the use of the polymers, polymer blends, mixtures and formulations as organic semiconductors in organic electronic (OE) devices, especially in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices and organic photodetectors (OPD), and to OE, OPV and OPD devices comprising these polymers, polymer blends, mixtures or formulations.
US09676896B2

Polyurethane foams which are highly flame resistant are described, as well as the production of such polyurethane foams by the reaction between a natural polyol, such as sucrose or a blend of mono- or disaccharides in place of the standard hydrocarbon-based polyol component, a polyisocyanate and water in the presence of a suitable polyurethane forming catalyst and a non-halogenated flame retardant, and optionally one or more components such as surfactants and/or emulsifiers. The resultant polyurethane foam has a bio-based solid content ranging from about 17% to 30%, may be formulated in a variety of foam densities for a variety of applications, and exhibits a high degree of fire and burn resistance, as exhibited by the flame spread index, flash over resistance determination, and the smoke spread values.
US09676892B2

The present inventive concepts relate to a polymer for a hard mask, a hard mask composition including a polymer for a hard mask as described herein, and a method for forming a pattern of a semiconductor device using a hard mask composition as described herein. The polymer includes a structure represented by the following chemical formula 1. In chemical formula 1, “A”, “Q”, “L”, “R1”, “R2”, “R3”, and “n” are the same as defined in the specification.
US09676891B2

Methods and materials for preparing a covalent 3D nano-object are provided. A diamine or triamine monomer and a monoamine terminated precursor may be reacted to form a star polymer material. A cross-linking polymerization process may in a nanogel core with the monoamine terminated precursor covalently linked to the nanogel core. The covalent 3D nano-object may comprise HT, PHT, HA, and/or PHA materials.
US09676886B2

A novel monomer design for the synthesis of PPE-type polymers containing conjugated segments of well-defined length connected by flexible linkers under Sonogashira reaction conditions is presented. The resulting polymers retain the photophysical properties of a fully conjugated PPE. The extent of incorporation of the flexible units along the backbone is governed by the comonomer feed ratio and can be varied in a statistically predictable fashion.
US09676885B2

Continuity compositions are provided as are methods of their preparation. The compositions comprise at least one metal carboxylate salt which is modified with at least one molten fatty amine. These compositions find advantageous use in olefin polymerization processes.
US09676883B2

The present disclosure relates to propylene-ethylene copolymers comprising an ethylene content of 0.1-10% by weight, a molecular weight distribution (MWD), expressed in terms of Mw/Mn, of greater than 3.0 and a xylene soluble (XS) fraction content defined by values that fall below the line given by the equation XS=1.0296·e0.435C2. The propylene-ethylene copolymers advantageously exhibit high transparency and low melting temperatures.
US09676877B2

Disentangled high or ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene ((U)HMWPE) being produced with a Ziegler-Natta catalyst, characterized by (i) a factor for the normalized elastic modulus G′0/G′P of less than 0.95 determined in a dynamic time sweep measurement at 180° C. with constant strain of 0.5% at fixed frequency of 10 rad/s for at least 3600 s, whereby G′0 is the elastic shear modulus measured at t0 directly after melting the sample and G′p is the maximum plateau modulus.
US09676871B2

The present invention provides engineered polypeptide conjugates (e.g., antibody-drug-conjugates, toxin-(biocompatible polymer) conjugates, antibody-(biocompatible polymer) conjugates, and bispecific antibodies) comprising acyl donor glutamine-containing tags and amine donor agents. In one aspect, the invention provides an engineered Fc-containing polypeptide conjugate comprising the formula (Fc-containing polypeptide)-T-A, wherein T is an acyl donor glutamine-containing tag engineered at a specific site or comprises an endogenous glutamine made reactive by the Fc-containing polypeptide engineering, wherein A is an amine donor agent, and wherein the amine donor agent is site-specifically conjugated to the acyl donor glutamine-containing tag or the endogenous glutamine. The invention also provides methods of making engineered polypeptide conjugates using transglutaminase.
US09676865B2

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing, diagnosing, and treating cancer. In particular the invention provides the means and methods for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of cancer and specifically targeting cancer stem cells. The present invention provides an antibody that specifically binds to a non-ligand binding region of the extracellular domain of a human NOTCH receptor and inhibits growth of tumor cells. The present invention further provides a method of treating cancer, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that specifically binds to a non-ligand binding region of the extracellular domain of a human NOTCH receptor protein and inhibits growth of tumor cells.
US09676862B2

The present invention relates to antibodies (and fragments, variants, fusions and derivatives thereof) with multivalent binding specificity for CD40, which have a potency for dendritic cell activation which is higher than, or is equal to, the potency for B cell activation and wherein the antibody, antigen-binding fragment, or fusion, variant or derivative thereof has an affinity (KD) for CD40 of less than 1×10−10 M, which have utility in the treatment of diseases such as cancer. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions, uses, methods and kits comprising such antibodies.
US09676849B2

The invention is based, at least in part, on the finding that a dimeric version of a BBB-transmigrating antibody (e.g., the TMEM30A (CDC-50A) binding antibody, FC5) was found to greatly enhance transport across the BBB as compared to monovalent FC5 VHH. The invention provides, inter alia, molecules that increase transport of pharmacologically active agents across the blood brain barrier, methods for increasing transport across the blood brain barrier, and methods of treatment of disorders or diseases having a neurological component.
US09676845B2

The present invention relates to bispecific antigen binding proteins, methods for their production, pharmaceutical compositions containing said antibodies, and uses thereof.
US09676834B2

Embodiments of the invention provide to fibulin 3 (also referred to as EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1)) polypeptide variants, and nucleotide sequences that code for them, characterized by having one or more activities of inhibiting cancer growth, inhibiting cancer cell invasion, and inhibiting cancer recurrence.
US09676830B2

The present invention relates to chimeric GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the chimeric GH61 polypeptides; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the chimeric GH61 polypeptides.
US09676824B2

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) antigens that elicit an HSV-specific immune response and can be used to treat or prevent HSV infection are provided. Nucleic acid sequences, polypeptides, vectors, and compositions, as well as methods to induce an immune response against HSV, treat or prevent HSV disease, induce a T cell response against HSV, and induce an antibody response against HSV also are provided.
US09676820B2

A method is provided for inhibiting proliferation of a high LIX1L-expressing tumor cell, in which the expression or function of a LIX1L gene with respect to a tumor cell highly expressing the LIX1L gene is inhibited.
US09676811B2

A testosterone derivative of formula (I): where n is an integer in a range of from 1 to 10, and Y represents an activated or ready-to-be-activated group allowing formation of an amide bond with a primary amine of a molecule. Conjugates including the testosterone derivatives and a marker, methods for determining the concentration of testosterone in a biological sample, and methods for preparing the testosterone derivatives are also provided.
US09676808B2

Embodiments of the invention are to compounds, methods, and compositions for use in the treatment of viral infections. More specifically embodiments of the invention are 2′,4′-substituted nucleoside compounds useful for the treatment of viral infections, such as HIV, HCV, and HBV infections.
US09676801B2

The present invention relates to the use of silver(I) monophosphine complexes as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API's), including anticancer agents, for the treatment, diagnosis and/or prevention of cancer. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such complexes and further extends to a method of treating or diagnosing a subject/patient suffering from cancer.
US09676797B2

The present invention features compounds effective in inhibiting active against Hepatitis C virus (“HCV”) polymerase. The invention also features processes of making such compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of using such compounds to treat HCV infection.
US09676793B2

Co-crystals of Formula I compounds and their pharmaceutical compositions are novel therapeutics for the treatment of diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cancer. The co-crystal are more stable to oxidation and aqueous degradation, have a better pharmacokinetic profile and superior biological activity than the corresponding tosylate salt form of Formula I compound.
US09676788B2

Disclosed is a compound of formula (I) or formula (II): (Formulas should be inserted here) wherein R1-R6 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a compound and a method of treating or preventing cancer in a mammal in need thereof, comprising administering to the mammal a compound of formula (I) or formula (II).
US09676785B2

The present invention provides compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions thereof, and methods of using the same.
US09676784B2

The present invention relates to new fused imidazolyl derivatives having a high affinity for sigma receptors, especially sigma-1 receptors, as well as to the process for the preparation thereof, to compositions comprising them, and to their use as medicaments.
US09676774B2

Compounds and compositions for treating, preventing or managing cancer are disclosed. The compositions provided herein comprise SNS-595 and N-desmethyl-SNS-595. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods of treatment using the compounds and compositions.
US09676772B2

This invention concerns pyrroloquinoline derivatives as antagonists of 5-HT6 receptors, to methods for the preparation of these compounds and to novel intermediates useful for their synthesis. The invention also relates to the uses of such compounds and compositions, particularly their use in administering them to patients to achieve a therapeutic effect in schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, maniac depression, epilepsy, obsessive compulsive disorders, mood disorders, migraine, Alzheimer's disease, age related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, panic attacks, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit disorder, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, withdrawal from abuse of cocaine, ethanol, nicotine or benzodiazepines, pain, obesity and type-2 diabetes, functional bowel disorder, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The compounds have the general formula (XIV), wherein the symbols have the meanings given in the description.
US09676771B2

A method of inhibiting drug-resistant HIV-1 integrase in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, having a structure of: wherein X is N, C(OH), or CH; Y is H or OH; each of Z1-Z5 is independently H or halogen; R4 is H, OH, NH2, NHR8, NR8R9 or R8; R5, R6, and R7 is each independently H, halogen, OR8, R8, NHR8, NR8R9, CO2R8, CONR8R9, SO2NR8R9, or R5 and R6 together with the carbon atoms to which R5 and R6 are attached form an optionally-substituted carbocycle or optionally-substituted heterocycle; and R8 and R9 is each independently H, optionally-substituted alkyl, optionally-substituted alkenyl, optionally-substituted alkynyl, optionally-substituted aryl, optionally-substituted cycloalkyl, optionally-substituted cycloalkylene, optionally-substituted heterocycle, optionally-substituted amide, optionally-substituted ester, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen to which R8 and R9 are attached form an optionally-substituted heterocycle.
US09676767B2

The disclosure provides an indoloacridine-containing derivative represented by formula (I), wherein A is a group represented by formula (II), and wherein X, Y, Z and W represent a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom, and at least one of W, X, Y and Z represent a nitrogen atom; R represents a phenyl group, a biphenylyl group, a naphthyl group or a phenanthryl group. The disclosure further provides a process for preparing the compound. The disclosure further provides an organic electroluminescent device comprising the compound. This compound can be used as a phosphorescence host material, a hole-injecting material or a hole-transporting material in an organic electroluminescent device.
US09676761B2

The present invention relates to difluoroethyl-oxazole substituted bridged spiro[2.4] heptane derivatives of formula (I), wherein the substituents at the piperidine ring are in trans-arrangement, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds.
US09676754B2

The invention disclosed herein is directed to compounds of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which are useful in the treatment of prostate, breast, colon, pancreatic, human chronic lymphocytic leukemia, melanoma and other cancers. The invention also comprises pharmaceutical compositions comprising a therapeutically effective amount of compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The invention disclosed herein is also directed to methods of treating prostate, breast, ovarian, liver, kidney, colon, pancreatic, human chronic lymphocytic leukemia, melanoma and other cancers. The invention disclosed herein is further directed to methods of treating prostate, breast, colon, pancreatic, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, melanoma and other cancers comprising administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a selective PPARα antagonist. The compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are also useful in the treatment of viral infections, such as HCV infections and HIV infections.
US09676752B2

Imidazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives of formula (I): The compounds have anti-proliferative activity and are useful for treating pathological states and diseases linked to an abnormal cell proliferation such as cancer.
US09676748B2

Compounds active on c-kit protein kinases or mutant c-kit protein kinases having any mutations are described, as well as methods of making and using such compounds to treat diseases and conditions associated with aberrant activity of the c-kit protein kinases and/or mutant c-kit protein kinases.
US09676734B2

Thiol derivatives of general formula (II) have antiviral activity, particularly against influenza virus. In particular, the compound (4-(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)(4-(2-fluoro-6-methoxyphenyl)-1-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yl)methanone is provided. Methods of preparing the compounds are also described.
US09676730B2

The invention provides processes for preparing a compound of formula I and salts thereof, wherein R1 is defined herein, and compounds and intermediates of said formula.
US09676726B2

A process is described for the synthesis of pyrazoles having general formula (I) which comprises the steps of mixing a compound having general formula (II) and a 1,2-disubstituted hydrazine having general formula (III) to form a reaction intermediate having general formula (IV) and the reaction mixture obtained in step i), in an acid environment, cyclizes to form a pyrazole having general formula (I), according to reaction scheme 1
US09676724B2

Disclosed is a compound of formula I, a stereoisomer thereof, a cis-trans-isomer thereof, a tautomer thereof, or a mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each as defined in the present application.
US09676714B2

Disclosed are a sulfonylindole derivative useful for the prevention or treatment of peptic ulcer, gastritis or reflux esophagitis, a method of preparing the same, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the same.
US09676708B2

Protected HNO donors designed to undergo non-enzymatic release at neutral pH via an intramolecular cyclization-elimination are disclosed. The rate of cyclization, and therefore HNO release, can be controlled by substituents and chain length. Thus, biologically useful HNO donors having tunable HNO release rates are provided.
US09676701B2

The invention relates to cyclopropylamine compounds, in particular the compounds of Formula (I), and their use in therapy, including e.g. in the treatment or prevention of cancer, a neurological disease or condition, or viral infection.
US09676691B2

A method is described for producing a compound having the formula (I) or an admixture comprising a compound having the formula (I), having the following steps: dissolving an indanone having the formula (II) in a solvent or in an admixture which contains a solvent, the solvent being selected from the group of solvents which form an azeotrope with water, converting the indanone having the formula (II) with an aromatic aldehyde having the formula (III) in the presence of at least one organic base, according to the drawing: where R1 and R2 independently of each other signify hydrogen or a branched or unbranched alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and where R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 independently of each other signify hydrogen, hydroxy or a branched or unbranched alkyl or alkoxy group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and removing water formed from the reaction admixture during the conversion. An admixture comprising a compound of the formula (I) and other components is further described.
US09676686B2

The disclosure shows a liquid crystal composition that contains a compound having an effect of preventing photolysis of the liquid crystal composition and having high solubility in the liquid crystal composition, and that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy, large positive or negative dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light or heat, and a suitable elastic constant, etc. and so on.The disclosure shows a liquid crystal composition that contains a compound having the following azolidine ring (Q-1) or azepane ring (Q-2), a liquid crystal display device and so on.
US09676684B2

A TSRU for recovering solvent from solvent diluted tailings includes a separation apparatus receiving the tailings and producing solvent and solvent recovered tailings. The separation apparatus includes a vessel, a tailings outlet, a solvent outlet, a tailings inlet for supplying a variable flow of the tailings to the vessel and a tailings recycle line connected to the tailings inlet for recycling part of the solvent recovered tailings into the variable flow of the diluted tailings to produce a flow rate controlled feed for introduction into the vessel. A tailings solvent recovery process includes separating the diluted tailings into recovered solvent and solvent recovered tailings, discharging the solvent recovered tailings, and recycling a portion of the solvent recovered tailings back into the variable flow of the diluted tailings. A method of controlling feed flow rate to a tailings solvent recovery vessel is also provided.
US09676664B2

Providing a cement production apparatus in which raw material is supplied into a duct with being dispersed uniformly so that heat-exchanging efficiency is improved by even preheating and clogging and the like are prevented, so that stable operation can be carried out.Between cyclones at an upper stage and a cyclone at a lower stage disposed below cyclones at an upper stage, a duct 21 is provided to introduce exhaust gas to the cyclones at the upper stage with distributing after flowing upward from the cyclone at the lower stage; at a lower position than a distribution part 23 of the duct 21, a material-supplying pipe 22 is connected for supplying cement raw material; at a connected part of the material-supplying pipe 22 to the duct 21, a material-guiding chute 24 on which the cement raw material is supplied from the material-supplying pipe 22 and which drops it into the duct 21 is provided with protruding into the duct 21; and the material-guiding chute 24 is formed to have a flat upper surface and to be expandable by sliding so that insertion depth of a tip end 24a from an inner-wall surface 21b of the duct 21 is 0.15 to 0.5 times of an inner diameter of the duct 21.
US09676662B2

A supported resin substrate comprises a supporting substrate, a release layer arranged on the supporting substrate and containing a metal or a metal oxide, and a resin substrate arranged on the release layer, the resin substrate including a front surface region opposite the release layer and a rear surface region in contact with the release layer. The resin substrate consists essentially of a resin material containing elemental fluorine. The ratio of the compositional proportion of fluorine in the rear surface region of the resin substrate to that in the front surface region of the resin substrate is 0.45 or less.
US09676661B2

The present invention provides an etching method of a glass substrate and a wet etching apparatus thereof. The etching method of the glass substrate comprises steps of: providing a glass substrate (1) to be etched, a wet bench (3), etchants and a supply line (7); setting a tank (9) in the wet bench (3); filling in the tank (9) with a predetermined amount of the etchants through the supply line (7); delivering the glass substrate (1) to be etched into the wet bench (3); raising the tank (9) until the glass substrate (1) is completely immersed with the etchants in the tank (9); lowering the tank (9) to expose the glass substrate (1) after a predetermined soaking time. The etching method of the glass substrate is simple and easy for operation. It is capable of shortening the etching process time and raising the production efficiency.
US09676660B2

An embodiment of the invention relates to a bent optical fiber manufacturing method for manufacturing a bent optical fiber in which a bent region with a desired radius of curvature is formed, while maintaining an optical transmission loss within a permissible range. The method has a pre-step of preparing an optical fiber comprised of silica-based glass, a bend portion forming step of forming a bend portion in a partial region of the optical fiber, and a laser light irradiating step of irradiating the thus-formed bend portion with laser light.
US09676658B2

One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a method of making an optical fiber comprising the steps of: (i) exposing a silica based preform with at least one porous glass region having soot density of ρ to a gas mixture comprising SiCl4 having SiCl4 mole fraction ySiCl4 at a doping temperature Tdop such that parameter X is larger than 0.03 to form the chlorine treated preform, wherein X = 1 1 + [ ( ρ ρ s - ρ ) ⁢ 0.209748 ⁢ ⁢ T dop ⁢ Exp ⁡ [ - 5435.33 / T dop ] y SiCl ⁢ ⁢ 4 3 / 4 ] and ρs is the density of the fully densified soot layer; and (ii) exposing the chlorine treated preform to temperatures above 1400° C. to completely sinter the preform to produce sintered optical fiber preform with a chlorine doped region; and (iii) drawing an optical fiber from the sintered optical preform.
US09676657B2

A production method for a glass particulate deposit which includes a deposition step in which, at least two liquid source material ejecting ports 31a for a glass source material 23 jetting out from a burner 22 are provided per one burner 22, the area of at least one liquid source material port 31a is 2.25×10−4 or less of the area of the flame forming part of the burner 22, the glass source material 23 is, in the form of a liquid thereof, supplied to each liquid material source port 31a, jetting gas ports 31b are arranged in such a manner that the inner periphery of the jetting gas port is positioned outside by 1.0 mm or less from the outer periphery of each liquid source material port 31a, and a gas is jetted out from each gas jetting port 31b.
US09676654B2

A method for creating a glass ceramic component having at least one angle is provided, where the angle is formed as a transition between two legs. The angle is made with a bending radius in the range between 30 mm and 200 mm during conversion of the glass plate in a green glass state to the glass ceramic plate under the effects of a deformation tool.
US09676651B2

A cartridge assembly includes a hub portion having a first end and a second end, a first retaining ring portion including a first snap ring and a first retaining ring member, and a second retaining ring portion including a second snap ring and a second retaining ring member. The cartridge assembly further includes a plurality of disc elements positioned between the first retaining ring portion and the second retaining ring portion, where the plurality of disc elements has an outer diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the first retaining ring portion and the second retaining ring portion, and a plurality of fastening members positioned at the first end and the second end of the hub portion, the plurality of fastening members extending radially inward from the hub portion.
US09676650B2

The method for producing a glass sheet by down-drawing includes an air pressure controlling step of controlling the air pressure of a furnace outside space formed between a furnace and a covering part that covers the furnace, the furnace including a forming furnace and a lehr, a melting step of melting glass raw materials to form molten glass, a supplying step of supplying the molten glass to a forming cell disposed inside the forming furnace, a forming step of forming a glass sheet by allowing the molten glass to flow down the forming cell, an annealing step of cooling the glass sheet while allowing the glass sheet to flow in one direction in the lehr, and a cutting step of cutting the glass sheet that has been cooled. In the air pressure controlling step, air pressure is controlled such that the air pressure is higher, inside the furnace outside space, at a position more toward the upstream side of the flow direction of the glass sheet.
US09676648B2

A fusion down-draw method for making a glass sheet using a forming body comprising an upper part (101) made of a first material and a lower part (103) made of a second material, where the first material has lower creep rate than the second material at the normal operating temperature of the forming body, and an fusion down-draw forming apparatus comprising such forming body. The invention is advantageous in that it solves the issues of internal stress and long-term creep issue of a unitary forming body made of a single material such as zircon.
US09676645B2

A device for flowing molten glass suitable for installation on a glass melting furnace, including: a flow channel including an outlet of given diameter; and a device for regulating flow of molten glass at an outlet of the flow channel, including: a removable plate including a through-orifice with an area smaller than an area of the outlet of the flow channel; and a movable shuttering mechanism configured to adjustably shutter the outlet of the flow channel or the through-orifice of the removable plate. The device allows a single furnace to be used for various types of glasses having very different viscosities.
US09676638B2

A method and system are for separating a suspension into solid and fluid components. The suspension is centrifuged about a substantially vertical axis of rotation to concentrate solid components in a first lower flow stream and fluid components in a first upper flow stream. The first upper flow stream may be centrifuged about a substantially vertical axis of rotation to concentrate solid components in a second lower flow stream and fluid components in a second upper flow stream. The first lower flow stream, the second lower flow stream, or both, may be centrifuged about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation to separate water from stackable dry tailings. The method and system may be applied to separation of tailings or other suspensions.
US09676637B2

According to an embodiment, an ultraviolet (UV) irradiation apparatus includes a treatment tank, a UV irradiation member, a UV sensor, and an air outlet unit. The air outlet unit is connected to an air outlet hole provided at a position higher than a horizontal plane that passes through the UV sensor, and is provided to release, to the outside of the treatment tank, through the air outlet hole, air that accumulates inside the treatment tank when the treated waterlasses through the inside of the treatment tank.
US09676628B2

The present invention relates a process and apparatus that recovers a helium rich stream from a mixed gas having low concentrations of helium therein. More specifically, the invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for treating a mixed feed gas from an operating process that produces a liquid product from natural gas containing helium, such as processes that produce ammonia, methanol, or liquid hydrocarbons.
US09676626B2

An IF7-derived iodine fluoride compound recovery method includes putting gas containing IF7 into contact with a material to be fluorinated, thereby converting the IF7 into IF5; and cooling gas containing the IF5, thereby trapping the IF5 as an IF7-derived iodine fluoride compound. The recovered IF5 may be reacted with fluorine to generate IF7, which may be reused for a semiconductor production process.
US09676625B1

Systems and methods for producing microcrystalline alpha alane are provided herein. An exemplary process for producing microcrystalline alpha alane includes reacting lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride in a solvent to produce alane etherate, filtering alane etherate from the reactant, combining the filtered alane etherate with a lithium borohydride solution to produce solids that include microcrystalline alane etherate, removing remaining solvent from the solids, creating a slurry from the solids and an aromatic solvent, and heating the slurry to convert the microcrystalline alane etherate to microcrystalline alpha alane.
US09676623B2

This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for conducting simultaneous endothermic and exothermic reactions in a microchannel reactor. A start-up procedure for the microchannel reactor is disclosed.
US09676619B2

The present disclosure discloses a method for wafer-level chip scale packaged wafer testing. The method comprises: dicing a wafer-level chip scale packaged wafer into a plurality of wafer strips each comprising a plurality of un-diced chip scale packaged devices; fixing the wafer strips onto a plurality of corresponding strip carriers respectively; testing the chip scale packaged devices of the wafer strips fixed onto the strip carriers by a testing equipment; and dicing the tested wafer strips into a plurality of individual chip scale packaged devices. Since the proposed method does not involve loading a multitude of diced chips into sockets one by one, but that a limited number of wafer strips are loaded onto corresponding strip carriers, flow jam is avoided.
US09676617B2

A method for a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) is provided. The method grows and patterns a diffusion barrier layer over a surface of a base layer. The diffusion barrier layer have different areas that allow different levels of diffusion penetration. A diffusion process is performed over the diffusion barrier layer such that a diffusion reactivated material reaches different depths into the base layer below the different areas. A anchor is formed using the diffusion reactivated material. The anchor has a lower portion below a major surface of the base layer and an upper portion above the major surface of the base layer. A cover layer is placed over the anchor and the base layer. At least one of the cover layer and the base layer includes a flexible layer, such that the cMUT electrodes are movable relative to each other to cause a change of the gap width.
US09676614B2

An encapsulated MEMS device includes stress-relief trenches in a region of its substrate that surrounds the movable micromachined structures and that is covered by a cap, such that the trenches are fluidly exposed to a cavity between the substrate and the cap. A method of fabricating a MEMS device includes fabricating stress-relief trenches through a substrate and fabricating movable micromachined structures, and capping the device prior art encapsulating the device.
US09676605B2

A fuel and lubricant refueling vehicle is described. The vehicle has a centralized control panel for monitoring and operating the fuel and lubricant delivery systems. The control panel is operable from ground level. The vehicle is capable of delivering fuels and/or lubricants at 300 gallons per minute. In addition, the vehicle is capable of storing a variety of different fuels and lubricants for servicing multiple types of equipment and work vehicles. The vehicle also has a power generator that supplies 50 cubic feet per minute of air flow to the motor pump assembly of the fuel and lubricant delivery systems.
US09676600B2

A forklift equipped with a variable displacement traveling hydraulic pump driven by an engine, a hydraulic motor that forms a closed circuit with the traveling hydraulic pump therebetween and is driven by hydraulic oil discharged from the traveling hydraulic pump, and driving wheels driven by the hydraulic motor, when an accelerator opening detected by an accelerator opening sensor is reduced, the accelerator opening detected by the accelerator opening sensor and a target maximum absorption torque of the traveling hydraulic pump are given to a table on which a setting value calculated in advance depending on the accelerator opening, and the target maximum absorption torque of the traveling hydraulic pump or a vehicle speed of the forklift is described to calculate the setting value, and the accelerator opening detected by the accelerator opening sensor is corrected using the obtained setting value to calculate a corrected accelerator opening.
US09676596B2

In an elevator refurbishing method in which a hydraulic elevator in which a hydraulic jack is installed in an equipment installation zone is refurbished into a machine-roomless elevator that uses a two-to-one (2:1) roping method, the equipment installation zone being a region inside a hoistway on either a left side or a right side of a car when viewed from directly above, at least one guide rail from a pair of counterweight guide rails is installed in the equipment installation zone while leaving the hydraulic jack in position, the hydraulic jack is removed from the hoistway, the hoisting machine is installed in a lower portion of the equipment installation zone using a space that is created by removal of the hydraulic jack, and a car return sheave and a counterweight return sheave are installed on an upper portion of the counterweight guide rails.
US09676592B2

An elevator system constructed in accordance to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an elevator car, a counterweight, a sheave assembly, a suspension rope, a compensation rope, a first optical sensor assembly and a controller. The suspension rope has a first suspension end coupled to the elevator car and a second suspension end coupled to the counterweight. The first compensation rope has a first compensation end coupled to the elevator car and a second compensation end coupled to the counterweight. The first optical sensor assembly can have a first optical sensor pair including a first emitter and a first receiver. The first emitter is configured to emit a first beam to be received by the first receiver. The first optical sensor pair is configured to detect interruption of the first beam by the first compensation rope. The controller controls movement of the elevator car based on the detected interruption.
US09676591B2

In an elevator apparatus, a reference position switch is a usually closed switched that is opened by a car moving to a reference position. A detected body is installed inside a hoistway. A detected body detector that detects the detected body is disposed on the car. A car position detecting portion stores as detected position information of the detected body an amount of movement of the car from where the detected body is detected until the car is detected by the reference position switch by a learning run that is implemented in advance. After completion of the learning run, the car position detecting portion detects the car position based on information from the detected body detector, the stored detected position information, and information from a movement detector that outputs a signal that corresponds to an amount of movement of the car.
US09676588B2

The invention relates to a presser finger (4) which is a component of a winder for winding a roving on to a rotating bobbin (1) with a longitudinal axis (10). The presser finger (4) has a carrying arm (40) with a longitudinal axis (8) and a roving 4 guide element. The presser finger (4) also has a guide plate (5) for guiding the roving on to a rotating bobbin (1). The presser finger (4) is alternatingly movable in the direction (X) of the longitudinal axis (10) of the rotating bobbin (1), and this movement of the presser finger (4) is provided by a drive means. The invention also relates to a roving winder with the aforementioned presser finger (4) and a method of winding a roving with the aid of the aforementioned presser finger (4).
US09676585B2

A post-processing device includes a sheet transporting section that transports one or more sheets, a cutting section that cuts the sheet along a transporting direction of the sheet being transported by the sheet transporting section and a paper piece transporting section that transports a paper piece cut by the cutting section, and a transporting speed of the paper piece transporting section is set lower than a transporting speed of the sheet transporting section.
US09676584B2

A sheet processing apparatus includes a controller configured to control operations of the pair of aligning members such that a sheet bundle disposed on a first stacking portion is aligned by the pair of aligning members of the pair of aligning members at a position shifted to a side of one aligning member in a width direction perpendicular to the discharge direction of a sheet with respect to a sheet discharge range in which a sheet is discharged at the time of discharging the sheet from a discharge portion, and, before the aligned sheet bundle is discharged to a second stacking portion by a bundle discharge portion, the other aligning member of the pair of aligning members is moved to the outside of the sheet discharge range in the width direction.
US09676581B2

A sheet stacking apparatus includes a conveying unit, a first support member configured to support a sheet, the first support member including a first supporting surface contacting an underside of a first end portion of the sheet in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction, a second support member configured to support the sheet, the second support member including a second supporting surface contacting an underside of a second end portion of the sheet, and a stacking unit. At least one of the first support member and the second support member is capable of moving between a first position that supports the sheet and a second position that does not support the sheet, and a length of the first support member is shorter than a length of the second support member in the sheet conveying direction.
US09676570B2

A system includes a sheet holder configured to hold a sheet of blanks, the sheet of blanks including a first blank and a second blank attached to the first blank. A conveyor mechanism is configured to transport the sheet of blanks from the sheet holder to a separator mechanism. The separator mechanism is configured to apply a pulling force to the first blank. A resistance component is configured to apply a resistance force to the second blank to resist the pulling force. The pulling force and the resistance force are configured to separate the first blank from the second blank.
US09676569B2

A transfer conveyor apparatus has a horizontally oriented receiving hopper defined by walls and a floor. A transition auger slopes upward and rearward from a bottom end thereof located in a rear portion of the receiving hopper. A plurality of hopper augers extend from the front wall to the rear portion of the receiving hopper. A right hopper auger is in proximity to and parallel to the right side wall and a left hopper auger is in proximity to and parallel to the left side wall. The hopper auger shafts are parallel and spaced apart by a spacing distance substantially equal to or less than the hopper auger diameter, and an auger drive is operative to rotate the hopper augers and the transition auger.
US09676567B2

A cargo compartment configured to be installed in an aircraft and to accommodate a plurality of cargo receiving devices is provided. The cargo compartment surrounds a compartment interior space, and includes a floor structure arrangement having a floor surface facing the compartment interior space and configured to support cargo receiving devices loaded into the cargo compartment. The cargo compartment includes two opposite side walls extending laterally of the floor structure arrangement away from the floor surface, and the side walls include an entrance opening for access to the compartment interior space. The floor structure arrangement also includes an air cushion device having a plurality of cushion nozzles distributed in the floor surface, and the cushion nozzles are configured to blow air up from the floor surface in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface.
US09676556B2

Modular belt module of the type having a width, and a length, where the width and length defines a plane, and a thickness orthogonal to said plane, such that the basic module is limited by two longitudinal sides, and a front and rear side, where the module comprises an upper part and a lower part, both upper and lower part being pivotally connectable in use to a forwardly arranged belt module, whereas only the bottom part is connected in use to a rearwardly arranged belt module, and where said upper part when in contact with said lower part is provided with means projecting below said lower part.
US09676552B2

Disclosed are various embodiments that may facilitate retrieval of items from a storage location. A robotic drive unit transports a carrier storage unit to be proximate to a target storage unit that comprises a container in which an item is located. The robotic drive unit moves a container mover to transfer the container from the target storage unit to the carrier storage unit. The robotic drive unit transports the carrier storage unit with the container to a destination.
US09676550B2

A bag supporting device is provided. The bag supporting device includes a bag coupling portion that presses an inner surface of a mouth of a bag to the outside by shape deformation and brings the mouth of the bag into close contact with an outer surface thereof while keeping the mouth of the bag opened. The bag coupling portion includes a through-hole that communicates with the mouth of the bag.
US09676546B2

A method includes the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has at least one port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing.
US09676539B2

A package for combined steam and microwave heating of food, wherein the package may include microwave energy interactive materials (“MEIMs”) configured for providing rapid, simultaneous microwave and steam cooking in a domestic microwave oven. The MEIMs may be configured for controlling the heating pattern within the package and to control volumetric heating of food in the package. The MEIMs may include one or more of a susceptor, shield, and/or resonating patch antenna. The package may be paper-based, or it may be manufactured of any other suitable material. One or more of the different sections of the package may comprise separate chambers respectively for the steam source and the food to be steamed, so that the steam source and the food to be steamed are separated from one another during manufacturing, storage, and cooking.
US09676536B2

A hang tab and product tag assembly comprising a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The first panel includes an aperture configured to engage with a retention mechanism, the second panel includes an aperture that is configured to adjust to different dimensions.
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